The Russian government plans to ban GTA VI in November, considering it a threat to public morality. However, Take-Two already closed its sales in the country since 2022, leaving millions of Russian players without legal access. The measure is more symbolic than practical, since the game was not officially arriving anyway.
The technical veto that comes too late 🛑
From a technical standpoint, the ban does not add significant barriers. Take-Two withdrew its digital services, including Rockstar Games Launcher and Steam, three years ago. Russian players already rely on VPNs, foreign key stores, and alternative methods to access releases. The veto only formalizes an existing reality: the official Russian market for GTA VI has been non-existent since before its announcement.
Russian morality survives without GTA VI 😏
The Russian government claims to protect morality by banning a game that no one can legally buy. It is like closing the barn door when the horse not only escaped but moved to another country. Meanwhile, Russian players will continue downloading the game with a VPN, laughing at a veto that only exists on paper. National morality, it seems, is saved by decree.