GTA 6 fans question possible regional censorship after smaller download files emerge

Different GTA 6 preload sizes in Japan and Australia have raised concerns about region-specific content cuts

GTA 6 fans have raised concerns about possible regional censorship after players discovered that the game's preload files are smaller in Japan and Australia than in other regions.

Rockstar Games opened preloads on November 10, nine days before the game's scheduled launch. While most players are downloading approximately 210GB, comparisons have revealed differences between regional versions.

Japanese outlets reported that the PlayStation 5 version measures 208.725GB in Japan, compared with 209.913GB elsewhere. The Xbox version is also smaller, measuring 208.74GB in Japan against 209.86GB in other regions.

The differences have prompted questions about whether content has been removed to meet local regulations. Automaton also noted that Japan's CERO Z rating does not include a sexual content warning, unlike the US and European classifications.

Australia and New Zealand have a smaller discrepancy of approximately 700KB. Dataminer Tex2 identified a missing file named "core_restofworld001" in those versions and suggested that a larger file could contain content removed from particular regions.

"core_restofworld001" is confirmed missing from #GTAVI Australia & New Zealand version. https://t.co/IE4L7ak6mm

— Tex2 (@TexFunz2) November 9, 2026

Fans have speculated that Rockstar may distribute a common version of the game before using regional files to adjust its content.

Some have also pointed to previous releases, including GTA 5, which reportedly had a torture scene removed from its Japanese version.

Australian players have raised separate concerns about simulated gambling. The country's R18+ classification lists sexual content among its warnings, while its regulations take a stricter approach to simulated gambling. Some players believe this could explain the regional file differences.

However, the exact reason for the discrepancies remains unconfirmed. The game files are encrypted until launch, scheduled for November 19, and publisher Take-Two has not publicly explained the differences.