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Is Grand Theft Auto safe for your child?

Age guide

18+

We advise Grand Theft Auto from age 18 and up. Overall risk 9/10 (high risk).

5-8
Grand Theft Auto is not appropriate for this age group due to its Mature (M) rating, which signifies content unsuitable for children under 17.
9-12
For this age band, Grand Theft Auto's M rating remains a critical barrier, as the game's narrative and gameplay involve committing various criminal acts, including carjacking, robbery, and murder.
13-15
Teenagers in this range are still below the game's intended age, and its depiction of drug use, sexual themes, and graphic violence is concerning for developing minds.
16+
While closer to the M rating, 16-year-olds are still advised against playing Grand Theft Auto due to the consistent exposure to explicit violence, sexual references, and pervasive strong language.

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is an action-adventure series set in open-world environments where players complete missions to advance the story. It is known for its mature themes, including crime, violence, and satirical commentary on American culture.

Age guide
18+
Overall risk
9/10
Violence
10/10
Toxic behaviour
9/10
Stranger contact
9/10
Addiction risk
9/10
Language
10/10
Influence
10/10

What parents should know

Grand Theft Auto is a highly popular, open-world action-adventure game series consistently rated Mature (M) by the ESRB. Its core gameplay involves engaging in criminal activities within a satirical, adult-themed environment, including graphic violence, strong language, and mature content. Parents should prioritize understanding the M rating and the game's online component, Grand Theft Auto Online, which introduces interactions with other players and potential exposure to unmoderated content.

What to do about Grand Theft Auto

Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.

  • The age-by-age verdict
    What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for Grand Theft Auto is 18+, and the answer changes with your child's age.
  • The one setting to change tonight
    The exact Grand Theft Auto setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it.
  • What to say
    Word-for-word openers for talking about Grand Theft Auto without a row.
  • Red flags to watch for
    The signals in Grand Theft Auto that mean it is time to step in.
See what to change tonight

Grand Theft Auto age rating and parents guide: common questions

What age rating is Grand Theft Auto?

Parentwise puts Grand Theft Auto at 18+. We advise Grand Theft Auto from age 18 and up. Overall risk 9/10 (high risk). Violence scores 10/10, language 10/10, stranger contact 9/10 and addiction risk 9/10.

Can a 10 year old play Grand Theft Auto?

Not by default: we advise Grand Theft Auto from 18+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. For this age band, Grand Theft Auto's M rating remains a critical barrier, as the game's narrative and gameplay involve committing various criminal acts, including carjacking, robbery, and murder.

Can a 12 year old play Grand Theft Auto?

Not by default: we advise Grand Theft Auto from 18+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. For this age band, Grand Theft Auto's M rating remains a critical barrier, as the game's narrative and gameplay involve committing various criminal acts, including carjacking, robbery, and murder.

Can a 13 year old play Grand Theft Auto?

Not by default: we advise Grand Theft Auto from 18+, so at 13 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Teenagers in this range are still below the game's intended age, and its depiction of drug use, sexual themes, and graphic violence is concerning for developing minds.

Is Grand Theft Auto appropriate for kids?

Grand Theft Auto is a highly popular, open-world action-adventure game series consistently rated Mature (M) by the ESRB. Parentwise rates Grand Theft Auto overall as high risk (9/10), with stranger contact at 9/10 and addiction risk at 9/10.

Is Grand Theft Auto family friendly?

Grand Theft Auto is one of the higher-risk titles we rate, so treat it as supervised rather than family viewing. Its core gameplay involves engaging in criminal activities within a satirical, adult-themed environment, including graphic violence, strong language, and mature content.

Grand Theft Auto parents guide: what should a parent know first?

Grand Theft Auto is a highly popular, open-world action-adventure game series consistently rated Mature (M) by the ESRB. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (9/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (9/10).

Is Grand Theft Auto safe for kids?

We advise Grand Theft Auto from age 18 and up. Overall risk 9/10 (high risk). Its core gameplay involves engaging in criminal activities within a satirical, adult-themed environment, including graphic violence, strong language, and mature content.

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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.