GTA 6 Ban Called for By Government Agency

A GTA 6 ban has been called for by a Russian politician ahead of the Rockstar Games release later this year. Right now, barring another delay, the GTA 6 release date is November 19, 2026. When it releases, it will be available via PS5 and Xbox Series X, and it is expected to be pricey. It is the most highly-anticipated video game release of all time, and looks poised to be the biggest launch in entertainment history. Those in Russia may be in danger of missing out on it, though, or at least may have to settle for a censored version.

It is being reported by NEWS.ru that Mikhail Ivanov, the deputy chairman of the World Russian Peoples Council and a member of the Bryansk Regional Duma, has raised concerns about Russian youth being corrupted by immoral content, and has consequently called for either it to be barred from release in the European country or for Rockstar Games to deliver a tailored and unique version in the country that alters or removes probelamtic content.

GTA “Corrupting the Younger Generation”

“The creators of Grand Theft Auto VI are deliberately including destructive and vulgar content in their product, which is completely unacceptable to the moral health of society,” argues Ivanov. “This includes the planned inclusion of scenes of male striptease in the game, which is a direct and cynical violation of basic moral norms and traditional spiritual values. Allowing such content is tantamount to corrupting the younger generation. We need to either impose strict legal restrictions on the distribution of such games in Russia or require publishers to release special versions for our market, cleared of immoral content.

Ivanov continued: “GTA’s popularity makes it a particularly dangerous tool of influence. We must demonstrate civic responsibility and prevent our children from being sold the poison of corruption and permissiveness under the guise of entertainment.”

Ivanov is not a politician himself, so there is no guarantee anything will come of this, but he does have considerable political and social influence through the WRPC.

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Other Banned Video Games in Russia

While Russia’s banned game list is not nearly as long as some other countries’, it has had some high-profile bans over the years. The biggest being Roblox, which was banned for essentially the same reasons why GTA 6 is being called out for. Meanwhile, there have also been instances of censorship in the past. One high-profile example is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which, when released in the country, was missing the controversial “No Russian” campaign level.

Russia’s video game market is dwarfed by the likes of China and the United States, but it is still estimated to be the fifth biggest market for games in Europe. So, this is unlikely something Rockstar Games’ parent company, Take-Two Interactive, is going to ignore. However, so far, neither company has commented on this matter.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the conversation over on the ComicBook Forum.