No Official GTA 6 Ban Confirmed in Gulf Countries Despite Online Claims

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

Manama : Claims circulating online that Grand Theft Auto VI has been banned in Bahrain and several other Gulf countries appear to be based on a misunderstanding of PlayStation's pre-order terms, with no official confirmation of a ban issued so far.

The confusion stems from a PlayStation notice stating that a free subscription to GTA+, an optional paid service offered as a pre-order bonus, is not available in several markets, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. Some users interpreted this restriction as evidence that GTA 6 itself had been banned.

According to Bahraini gaming expert Abdulla Abdulrahman, the wording refers only to the GTA+ promotional offer and not to the availability of the game itself.

However, uncertainty remains over the game's release status in some Gulf markets. While PlayStation store pages in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman list Grand Theft Auto VI, they currently show the title as unavailable for purchase, suggesting that local sales may not yet have opened or could face restrictions.

In contrast, pre-orders are already available in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where the Standard and Ultimate editions of the game are listed on PlayStation's online store.

Developer Rockstar Games has scheduled the release of Grand Theft Auto VI for November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. Neither Rockstar, publisher Take-Two Interactive, nor Gulf regulators have publicly announced a ban on the game in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait or Oman.