How Old You Need to Be to Play GTA V

How Old You Need to Be to Play GTA V

GTA V (Grand Theft Auto V) is one of the most popular games on the planet, even five years after its initial release. As a result, it’s possible that you or your child might be wanting to play it, so it’s important to know how old you need to be to play GTA V.

Much of what you can do in GTA V may not be appropriate for younger audiences. According to the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board), GTA V has a Mature rating, meaning it’s intended for audiences of at least 17 years old.

Per the description of its rating, GTA V features “Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol”.

You can read a detailed synopsis of what sort of content the game includes here, but on the whole, GTA V is extremely mature and is not recommended for younger players. Likewise, a primary feature of the game is its robust online mode, GTA Online, which is not rated by the ESRB.

Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to monitor what a younger player might be doing when playing online with others, as many players can behave inappropriately. There are no in-game parental controls, but you *can* use your platform’s built-in parental controls to manage what a younger player has access to.

Do note that it’s entirely possible to play GTA V in such a way without experiencing many of the adult themes, however, there is no sure-fire way to restrict violence, language or any other form of mature content.

Additionally, in order to access the open world within single-player, you must complete the prologue, which includes gratuitous violence and language. Once you’re out in the open world, you can simply explore the city by driving around and trying to avoid violence if you so choose.

In short, though, GTA V is a game that is not meant for younger players, so if you’re unsure, please abide by the ESRB rating and do not play if you’re younger than 17. Of course, every person is different, so it’s up to the parent or guardian to decide if a younger player is mature enough to handle GTA V.

That should cover everything you need to know about how old you need to be to play GTA V. Feel free to drop us a comment below if you have any questions and make sure you check out our review for the PC version of GTA V.