After waiting 13 years for GTA 6, some players could face one final hurdle before jumping into Rockstar’s blockbuster game of hedonistic delights
Grand Theft Auto 6 is finally on the horizon – and gamers around the globe can barely contain themselves after waiting more than a decade for the next instalment.
The blockbuster game lands on November 19, marking the end of a 13-year gap since GTA V first hit shelves way back in 2013. For millions of fans, that red-circled calendar day will likely become one of the biggest gaming events of all time. For anyone who has somehow missed the GTA craze over the past 30 years, the series throws players into huge open-world cities where they can follow the main storyline, steal cars, go to XXX bars and nightclubs, wreak havoc, or even just drive around listening to the famously bizarre in-game radio stations. Think crime, fast cars and plenty of mayhem. Unless you’re one of those ironic players who find it funny to drive by the road rules.
There’s just one catch come the release this November: you’d better have a real-life driver’s licence to play.
In Australia, that is. As per new online safety laws introduced in March, Aussies wanting to play GTA 6 – especially if they wish to enter its online multiplayer mode – will have to complete mandatory age verification checks. The most common form of ID used for that process is a driver’s licence.
So, essentially, gamers could find themselves needing an actual valid licence before they can properly get behind the wheel in Rockstar’s latest virtual playground of hedonistic delights.
But, before you scoff at a faraway problem for faraway people, the issue may not stay confined in Down Under for long. Since the country introduced its controversial social media restrictions, several other nations have signalled they could bring in similar measures – including the UK.
In June 2026, then-prime minister Sir Keir Starmer announced plans for a ban on social media use by children under 16, which is expected to come into force in spring 2027. The proposals also include a default overnight app curfew between midnight and 6am for under-18s.
France is also moving in the same direction, with lawmakers approving a ban preventing children under 15 from opening social media accounts from September 1.
Australia, one of the first countries where GTA 6 will be available, already requires any R18+ content to verify that users are adults. The government has also doubled penalties for companies that fail to comply, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying tech firms are “not doing enough” to protect children online.
There is at least some good news for Aussie gamers. Rockstar has already launched an age verification system for existing GTA Online players, and it is expected to carry over to GTA 6 when the game launches.
So if you are planning to dive into GTA 6 online from day one, getting your licence verified early might be the smartest move you make all year.
