GTA 6 age rating: what ESRB M and Germany’s USK 18 mean and how parents set up PS5 and Xbox

With launch a few weeks away, many parents are asking how old you have to be for GTA VI, why, and how to stop a child from starting it on the console. This page covers what the rating boards decided and where to find the settings on PS5 and Xbox. Everything comes from official sources, linked where it is used.

The ratings at a glance

• ESRB (US): According to its listing, the ESRB rates GTA VI “M for Mature 17+” for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content and Use of Drugs and Alcohol. It also notes In-Game Purchases.
• USK (Germany): The USK lists GTA VI in its title database as “Keine Jugendfreigabe” (no youth rating), the highest level, equivalent to 18+. The Xbox Store listing in Germany shows “USK ab 18 Jahren” and names explicit violence, problematic role models and drugs as reasons, plus in-game purchases.
• PEGI (rest of Europe): GTA VI does not appear in the PEGI database yet (as of October 25, 2026).

What the German rating means legally

Germany’s Youth Protection Act has five rating levels, from “approved without age restriction” to “no youth rating” (section 14, in German). A game may only be approved for an age group if it does not impair the development of children and young people of that age. “No youth rating” therefore means the reviewers see that risk for everyone under 18. Physical media with this rating may not be offered, handed over or otherwise made available to minors (section 12, in German), and online stores must display the rating clearly (section 14a, in German).

PS5: setting up parental controls

According to PlayStation Support, you first need a family on your PlayStation account with your child added as a family member on their own account. Then:

1. On the PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, select your child and set the parental controls. You can do the same in the PlayStation Family app or on the web through account management.
2. Set the age level for games and apps so that games rated for adults do not start. If your child wants to play a specific game anyway, they can send a request that you approve or decline.
3. Monthly spending limit: Sony says it is set to 0 by default. Only change it if your child should be able to buy content.
4. Communication and user-generated content: Choosing “Restrict” disables text messages and voice chat with other players.
5. Set playtime limits per day if you want.

Important, according to Sony: the controls only take effect once your child has completed email verification and is signed in on their console. You can also prevent the child from changing the parental controls; the settings are tied to the account and apply on every device.

Xbox: family group and content filters

On Xbox, everything runs through a family group on your Microsoft account. According to the Xbox Family Hub, you set content filters, screen time, spending limits and privacy for each child in the Xbox Family Settings app or at account.microsoft.com/family. When the console is first set up, it asks whether children will play on it and guides you to set up family and child accounts. In Germany, the USK reviewed and certified the Xbox consoles’ parental control system in 2023, as Microsoft announced on Xbox Wire Germany (in German). The individual menu steps are in the official guide on the Family Hub.

What else matters for GTA VI

• In-game purchases: Both the ESRB and the store listing mention them. A spending limit on the child account prevents unwanted purchases.
• Online: The Xbox Store lists GTA VI as single-player, and Rockstar has not announced an online mode (see GTA 6 and online mode). Console-level chat is controlled in family settings.
• Accounts: If your child plays on your account, your settings apply. A separate child account is the most important step.

What is not confirmed

• A PEGI rating; the database does not list GTA VI yet.
• A separate USK entry for the PS5 version; according to the title database, the Xbox Series version was reviewed.
• Whether menu names change with future system updates; the linked guides from Sony and Microsoft are authoritative.

What else to sort out before launch is in our launch prep checklist; how to protect accounts from scams is in our guide to fake downloads and scams.

Sources and status

Checked on October 25, 2026: ESRB listing, USK title database, Xbox Store listing, sections 12, 14 and 14a of the German Youth Protection Act, PlayStation Support on parental controls, the Xbox Family Hub and Xbox Wire Germany on the USK certification. The USK database could not be accessed directly from our environment and is supported by press coverage. This page is not legal advice. We will update it if anything changes.