Launched initially on 17 September 2013, the Capers 5 (GTA5) will officially be on sale for the twelfth anniversary by September of this year. Over the past 10 years, GTA5 has sold more than 200 million copies globally (accumulative sales of 215 million copies according to the previous financial statements issued by R.).
For hundreds of millions of players around the world, even if they didn’t play with it, at least they’ve experienced it. Unless it has been living in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for the past 12 years, no attempt has been made to obtain the game through any underground channels. To meet the above conditions, GTA5 will be the new one you can play in 2025.
Now, the “man-hunter 5” and “man-hunter Online” have finally been released and officially sold in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. As reported by Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad, both games were approved for distribution in the region and represent “a turning point in the regulation of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) game”.
The approval of GTA5 for distribution in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also marked the introduction of a new age classification in the region. The General Media Authority of Saudi Arabia and the Media Commission of the United Arab Emirates jointly launched the 21+ age classification. The Carjackers series is not the only reputable game series not released in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Prior to this, the regulatory bodies of the two regions would ban games rated M (adult level)/PEGI 18+ under rating agencies such as ESRB or PEGI. Daniel Ahmad reported that the introduction of a new round of young ratings might open the door to games that had previously been unable to pass through censorship. In particular, because of this new rating, the Ranger 5 was allowed to be released “without major modifications”.
Ahmad wrote: “This is a positive signal for the industry, as it may allow the game to be approved without editing, thus providing a viable market entry for games that are usually banned.”
Thus, although the approval of GTA 5 and GTA Online is not in itself the most significant event (not least because, over the past decade, GTA 5 continues to circulate in the region through unofficial channels), this new age classification system has the potential to have a profound impact on the video game industry in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and beyond.
