Countries Where You WON'T Be Able to Buy GTA VI: The Complete List (and Why Saudi Arabia Is on the List but Qatar Isn't)

The PlayStation Store has revealed the 8 countries where GTA VI won't be officially available for purchase: China, Russia, Qatar, Taiwan... We'll walk you through the list, the reason for each one, and the Arab paradox that no one saw coming.

In which countries will GTA VI be banned? According to the PlayStation Store pre-order page (June 2026), the game cannot be officially purchased in at least 8 territories: Bahrain, China, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Russia, and Taiwan. This isn’t a ban announced by Rockstar, but rather an indication that those digital stores don’t offer it. And there are more nuances than meet the eye.

What’s the list, and why each country?

The Paradox That Defies the Stereotype: Saudi Arabia IS

Here’s the surprising fact. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had GTA V blocked for 12 years... and lifted the ban in July 2025 (Saudi Arabia with a 21+ rating). Result: In those two countries, you can buy GTA VI, while their neighbors in Kuwait and Qatar remain excluded. So much for the myth of the “monolithic Arab bloc.”

What about actual government bans?

Yes, two, and they’re not on PlayStation’s list:

• Tajikistan: banned the entire GTA series in 2024 for “promoting violence and crime.” A complete government ban.
• Thailand: The series has been banned in physical format since 2008, following a real-life case in which a young man killed a taxi driver and said he wanted to see “if it was as easy as in GTA.” The digital version remains in limbo.

How Many People Are Left Out?

Counting China (the massive market) and the rest, estimates suggest more than 1 billion people lack direct legal access. Many will resort to physical imports or accounts from other regions, but officially, GTA VI won’t be available in their stores.

Our verdict: credible. The purchase restriction is confirmed by the PlayStation Store itself; the specific reasons for various countries are inferred from their track record (no government has officially stated them specifically for GTA VI). “Total ban” only applies with certainty to Tajikistan and physical copies in Thailand. And remember that the whole disc-less physical format mess is a whole other story.

Are you surprised to see Taiwan on the same list as Russia and Qatar? We certainly are. Join the discussion in the community. 🌍