New rating reveals transgressive content
GTA 6 earned an X 18+ age rating in Australia, surpassing GTA 5’s R 18+ classification.
Leaks underline the rating
A recent PlayStation ad for the Ultimate Edition displayed the X 18+ mark, sparking discussions after a popular GTA account on X teased how far Rockstar would push mature content. The leaked “Nudist Town” footage, showing NPCs dancing naked and displaying genitals, overshoots typical strip‑club imagery, fueling the colony’s harsher classification. Additionally, a comment by Rockstar North’s Rob Nelson at the Edinburgh preview highlighted an upgraded gore system that allows players to dismember bodies with limb‑torn precision.
A broader industry context
Although Cyberpunk 2077 included first‑person intercourse scenes, the Australian Classification Board denied it an X 18+ rating, opting only a standard rating. This marks a first for an Australian video game to receive an X 18+ boundary, a classification traditionally reserved for explicit films featuring strong language, violence, and sexual content. The shift underscores Rockstar’s intent to redefine the GTA series’ mature narrative scale.
Image Credit: X/@iGrandTheftAuto
The newly imposed rating signals a decisive pivot in Rockstar’s content strategy, likely reshaping the franchise’s future trajectory.
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