GTA 6’s smaller file size and lack of “sexual content disclaimer” in Japan raises concerns about possible regional censorship 

As Grand Thef Auto VI‘s release day approaches, gamers in Japan have been voicing concern about certain indications that the game may be censored locally, despite being rated an 18+ game by Japan’s CERO rating body. 

Pre-downloads for the game began yesterday, confirming that both GTA 6’s Japanese PS5 and Xbox versions are approximately 1 GB smaller than their global counterparts. As Game*Spark reports, the Japanese PS5 version of GTA 6 is 208.725 GB, while the file size is 209.913 GB in most other regions. On the Xbox Series X❘S, the Japanese version’s file size is 208.74 GB, while global versions are at around 209.86 GB. 

This has led some fans to believe that cuts may have been made to the game’s content in order to comply with CERO’s infamously strict regulations related to violent and sexual depictions. On social media, some users are calling on Rockstar Games to provide an upfront explanation of any modifications so that they may make informed decisions on whether (or what version) of the game to buy. 

Additionally, while GTA 6’s ESRB and PEGI ratings both describe the game as containing “strong sexual content” and “scenes of sexual fetishes,” the Japanese CERO rating does not come with any such disclaimers. CERO ratings typically consist of a letter – in GTA 6’s case “Z” (ages 18+ and up) – alongside icons that indicate what kind of content the age rating is based on. On the PlayStation and Microsoft Stores, the Japanese version of GTA 6 has icons for “Violence” and “Crime,” but none for “Sexual Content.” (As a point of reference, the Japanese version of Stellar Blade comes with a sexual content disclaimer). This suggests there may be regional discrepancies when it comes to sexual depictions in the game. 

At the time of writing, Rockstar Games has not confirmed any differences in the Japanese version, but GTA 6 would certainly not be the first game to tone down its content to qualify for a CERO rating. Last year’s Assassin’s Creed: Shadows was likewise censored despite being rated 18+, and games like Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol famously had to cancel their Japanese console releases after being denied ratings. 

Related: Japanese gamers surprisingly put off by the idea of a GTA set in Japan, and no, it wouldn’t “just feel like a Yakuza game”