GTA 6 Preload Smaller in Japan and Australia, Fans Suspect Cuts
Fans of Grand Theft Auto 6 are speculating about regional censorship after players noticed that the game’s preload differs in size in Japan, Australia and New Zealand, according to a report from the gaming site that covered the discovery.
A download of about 210GB
Rockstar opened preloads on November 10, nine days before the November 19 launch. The download is roughly 210GB, and it has reportedly slowed home internet connections in parts of the UK. With a file that large, small differences would normally go unnoticed, but a gap of around a gigabyte drew attention.
What was found in Japan
Japanese outlet Game*Spark first reported the difference. The PS5 version in Japan measured 208.725GB, compared with 209.913GB elsewhere. On Xbox, the build was listed as 208.74GB, down from 209.86GB. Cokymoky, who pulled the Xbox sizes from Microsoft’s catalog, labeled the Japanese build as having “-1.2 GB cuts.”
Automaton then noted that the game’s Japanese age rating, CERO Z, did not carry a sexual content warning, whereas its US and European ratings both flagged strong sexual content.
A missing file in Australia and New Zealand
The Australian and New Zealand build is smaller by only about 700KB. Dataminer Tex2 confirmed it lacks a chunk called “core_restofworld001.” Tex2 suggested that a much larger chunk, “core_restofworld,” may contain content removed from certain regions, with Japan the most likely target. One reply theorized that everyone downloads a censored base game, with regional packs restoring the material everywhere except Australia and New Zealand.
Fans pointed to precedent. GTA 5 launched in Japan with a torture scene removed, and some Resident Evil releases blacked out dismembered limbs to satisfy CERO.
Gambling theory and player reaction
Australia’s case is less clear. One commenter claimed the build would have gambling content removed. The theory has some basis: Australia rated the game R18+ and listed sex scenes among its warnings, while the country takes a strict stance on simulated gambling. Australian players have faced this before, as GTA Online’s casino games were disabled for them in July after seven years.
Some players in other regions are also wary. One said they would cancel a pre-order and buy on a US account if the Middle East version turned out to be censored, while another joked about choosing the Japanese version to save space and download faster.
No official explanation yet
The game files remain encrypted until launch, so the contents of the differing chunks cannot be verified. Take-Two has not explained the differences. Until Rockstar or Take-Two comments, or the game is released on November 19, the cause of the size gap remains speculation.
Source: dexerto.com
Image: Rockstar Games / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
