GTA 6’s release is the internet’s most highly anticipated event, and this isn’t an exaggeration. The initial trailer reveal, an event in and on itself that contained a boatload of real-life references, among others, has set and broken new records, with its view count continuing to climb to nearly 150 million a week after it first came out.
With its planned launch set in 2025, the excitement, among fans of the franchise, is palpable. However, as the details of the game’s release start to materialize, one question that merges is if GTA 6 is coming to other platforms, specifically, the PC or the Nintendo Switch 2.
While there’s room for much speculation, especially in light of a former Rockstar developer’s comments about GTA 6 on PC, bringing it to the Switch 2 is an entirely different story. The consensus among tech experts and industry analysts suggests that the possibility of GTA 6 launching on Nintendo’s next console is unlikely if impossible.
There’s plenty of reasons for this potential exclusion. Chief among them is the technical capabilities, or the lack thereof, of the Nintendo Switch 2 as compared to its console counterparts. The Digital Foundry team, known for their in-depth technical analysis of gaming hardware, has expressed skepticism about the Nintendo Switch 2’s ability to handle a game as technically demanding as GTA 6.
According to Richard Leadbetter of Digital Foundry, while the Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to be a significant upgrade over its predecessor, it still faces limitations due to its mobile chipset. The hardware advancements GTA 6 is speculated to utilize, particularly in terms of lighting models and ray tracing, are beyond the projected capabilities of the still-to-be-revealed console. Oliver Mackenzie of Digital Foundry further highlighted concerns regarding the processing power required to run the complex open-world and detailed NPC interactions expected in GTA 6, which may be too much for the Nintendo Switch 2 to handle efficiently.
Rockstar Games’ history with the Nintendo Switch also provides insight into the potential availability of GTA VI on the platform. The company has been selective with the games it ports to the Switch, often releasing them years after their initial launch. For instance, Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire were released on the Nintendo Switch long after their original release dates. Moreover, the fact that Rockstar has not released the highly successful GTA 5 on the Switch, says a lot about Rockstar’s commitment to maintaining the quality and performance of their games. Although it’s possible that the entire ordeal with the GTA Remaster trilogy, which remains reportedly broken on Steam (but it runs surprisingly well on iOS devices via Netflix), scared them off.
With GTA IV and GTA V nowhere to be found on the Switch, the chances of the upcoming flagship title, GTA 6, coming to its successor is slim to none.
Ultimately, while the next-generation Nintendo console represents a significant leap forward, with expected improvements in portable mode and screen technology, it’s unlikely to rival the processing and graphical power of the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. This hardware gap could make it challenging to provide an optimal gaming experience for GTA 6 on the Switch 2, especially given the game’s expected reliance on advanced graphics and processing for its expansive open world.
The worst-case scenario is we’ll have another situation similar to the Batman: Arkham Trilogy and Mortal Kombat 1 on our hands if Rockstar insists on porting GTA 6 to Switch 2.
Thus, the prospect of GTA 6 on Switch 2 remains a distant possibility rather than an impending reality.
