Rockstar Releases Censored Version of GTA 6 Extended Look for Chinese Audience

Rockstar Games has uploaded a heavily censored edition of its 27-minute Grand Theft Auto 6 extended look reveal to Chinese social media platform Bilibili, as reported by @videotech on X/Twitter and highlighted by Kotaku. The video, which premiered on Netflix last week, contains significant blurring of scenes involving dancing, drug use, and sexual content when compared to other uploads.

Given the nature of GTA, much of the footage is obscured. For instance, a nightclub scene with protagonists Jason and Lucia is reduced to a purple blur, while a shot of Jason smoking has his hand censored. Beach scenes and close-ups of bloodied corpses are also blurred or fully censored.

Interestingly, this wasn't the original version Rockstar posted. According to GTAForums user BDF, the initial upload lacked these edits, but Rockstar modified the video around August 31. The reason for the delayed censorship remains unclear, sparking debate among fans on Tieba (China's Reddit-like forum). Some speculate Rockstar aimed to protect younger viewers, while others suspect bias from the company and its parent, Take-Two Interactive. BDF also noted that Rockstar and Take-Two have issued DMCA takedowns for reposts of the uncensored content on Bilibili.

Despite the censorship, anticipation for GTA 6 is building ahead of its November 19 launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Recent reveals include new Vice City-themed PS5 controllers, additional screenshots on Rockstar's website, and fans are dissecting every frame of the gameplay reveal. Expect more news before release, and check out IGN's preview and interview with Rockstar for deeper insights.