A Russian government-linked official has called for Grand Theft Auto 6 to be banned or heavily censored in Russia ahead of its planned release later this year.
GTA 6 is currently scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. It is one of the most anticipated video game releases ever and is expected to break sales records. However, players in Russia may not get the full version of the game—or may not get it at all.
According to a report from NEWS.ru, Mikhail Ivanov, deputy chairman of the World Russian Peoples Council and a member of the Bryansk Regional Duma, has raised concerns about the game’s content. He claims GTA 6 could harm young people and undermine traditional values.
Claims of “Immoral Content”
Ivanov accused Rockstar Games of including what he called “destructive and vulgar content” in GTA 6. He specifically pointed to reports that the game may include male striptease scenes, which he described as a violation of moral and spiritual norms.
He argued that allowing such content would amount to corrupting young players. Ivanov said Russia should either block the game entirely or require Rockstar Games to release a special censored version for the Russian market with objectionable material removed.
Ivanov also said GTA’s popularity makes it especially dangerous, calling it a powerful tool of influence over young people.
While Ivanov is not a federal lawmaker, he holds influence through the World Russian Peoples Council, which means his comments could still affect policy discussions.
Past Game Bans in Russia
Russia has banned or censored video games in the past, though it does not have as many bans as some other countries. One major example is Roblox, which was banned for similar concerns related to youth and content.
There have also been cases of partial censorship. For example, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released in Russia without the controversial “No Russian” mission.
What This Means for Rockstar Games
Russia is estimated to be the fifth-largest video game market in Europe, even though it is much smaller than markets like the United States or China. Because of this, the issue may matter to Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive.
So far, neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has commented on the calls for a GTA 6 ban or censorship.
