GTA 6 age rating: ESRB, PEGI, USK and CERO

The short version

• ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board; US, Canada): M – Mature 17+, with seven content descriptors and the interactive element “In-Game Purchases”. Checked in the ESRB database (rating ID 41627).
• USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, Germany’s rating body): “keine Jugendfreigabe”, no youth rating (18+), because of graphic violence, drugs and criminal role models. Checked in the USK database for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series.
• PEGI (Pan European Game Information; most of Europe, UK): no entry. PEGI 18 is expected but cannot be confirmed in the PEGI database today.
• CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization, Japan): Z, 18+ only, according to Japanese store listings as reported by GameBusiness.jp. We have not been able to confirm this at CERO itself.

The “last checked” time on each card above is when we last looked at that board’s own page. When a board changes its entry, we update the card and the timestamp at the top of this page.

ESRB: M for Mature 17+

The ESRB entry covers PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series. It lists seven content descriptors: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content and Use of Drugs and Alcohol. The only interactive element is In-Game Purchases. ESRB does not list “Users Interact”, the label it uses when players can talk to or share content with other people.

The ESRB is an industry self-regulation body. An M rating is guidance for parents and retailers, not a legal age limit.

USK: no youth rating (18)

The German USK database has two entries for “Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6)”. Both carry the rating keine Jugendfreigabe gemäß § 14 JuSchG and the same three reasons:

• Drastische Gewalt: violence is shown in a graphic or strongly emphasised way.
• Drogen: drug use is shown often or in a positive light.
• Kriminelle Rollenbilder: criminal acts are presented as an adventure rather than critically.

The USK also notes in-game purchases. The PlayStation 5 version was tested on 13 October 2026 (USK no. 59715/26), the Xbox Series version on 13 September 2026 (USK no. 59552/26), according to the database. Unlike ESRB and PEGI, the USK label is legally binding in Germany. The USK runs a free online parents’ evening about GTA VI on 2 December 2026. Details are in the parents’ guide, section “In Germany”.

PEGI: an empty database entry

PEGI covers most of Europe and the UK, but not Germany. Its database returned 0 results for “grand theft auto vi” when we last checked on 12 November 2026. According to VGC, PEGI published an 18 rating on 2 October 2026 and removed it shortly after. That listing reportedly described realistic, bloody violence, frequent drug use and sexual content including nudity. We read about it only in VGC’s report, so we mark it as unverified. More context: Why GTA 6 has no PEGI listing.

CERO: Z in Japan

GameBusiness.jp reported on 18 October 2026 that the Japanese PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store pages switched from “rating pending” to CERO Z, the 18+ category, with the content icons for crime and violence. That is the same rating GTA V received in Japan. The report also said no Japan-specific content changes had been announced.

Boards we have not covered yet

Other regions, such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Brazil, have their own boards. Some websites list ratings for them, but we only add a board once we can check it at the board itself or find a solid secondary source. They will be added in later updates.

What the ratings do not tell you

A rating summarises content; it does not describe the story, how often scenes happen or how long they last. Reviews published from the embargo onwards will add detail. Our sister site gta6rating.com collects them. For practical advice for families, read the parents’ guide.