GTA 6 is all set to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2025. And now, an ex-Rockstar dev has clarified why the GTA 6 PC port won’t be coming with launch.
The Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer unveiled that the game is set for release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2025. However, the absence of any mention of a PC version follows Rockstar’s typical pattern, which often leaves PC gamers waiting after the initial console launch. This trend was evident with titles like Red Dead Redemption 2. But now, a former Rockstar developer has clarified why the GTA 6 PC port won’t be coming with launch.
A former GTA animator who worked on GTA 5 and RDR 2, Mike York, has now clarified why console versions and PC ports aren’t made simultaneously. According to him, two primary factors contribute to the delayed PC launch: prioritizing sales and the considerable effort required for the meticulous production of PC adaptations.
York, speaking on his YouTube channel York Reacts, highlighted that developers usually concentrate on the PlayStation version initially before transitioning to Xbox, and eventually, months or even years later, work on the PC port. He explained that the focus on the PlayStation version primarily stems from its historical sales dominance as it is one of the top sellers of GTA titles. In his experience working on GTA 5, the team invested substantial efforts in optimizing the game for PS3, pushing its technical boundaries.
He said, “One of the main reasons why a PC port will take so long to come out after the game launches is because the developers want to make it as best as possible. They have to work out all these little bugs that they haven’t been working on. A PC port always comes later because they wanna prioritize what sells first.”
He further stated, “Most of the time, especially in the past, PlayStation was the big seller…so what the developer would do is focus all their energy on making sure the PlayStation port and the PlayStation game works really well. When I was working on GTA 5 for instance, we would concentrate on the PS3 and the Xbox at the time but we were mainly pushing the PS3 to the limits.”
He clarified that the developer will use some fresh ideas to push things forward when they enter the GTA 6 PC porting phase of the process. They are capable adding of many different elements, such as populating better foliage and introducing more characters.
York explained, “When they enter a scenario, for example, they might say, ‘Oh, we’re on PC now, we have a little bit more memory, we can add some fog into here like we always wanted to, but it was too much for the console.'”
Having said that, it is important to note that the PC port’s unique design and component type are among the main reasons for the lengthy development of the GTA 6 PC port.
York stated that thorough testing across several PC hardware combinations would be necessary for a complicated game such as GTA 6. Simply put, Rockstar Games lacks the staff, funding, and resources necessary to develop the GTA 6 PC version while developing and improving the console version of the game. As a result, the studio gives the PlayStation platform top priority to maximize the company’s profits.
He said, “If they had a huge team, they’d just have one team work on the PC, one team work on the Xbox, and the whole time they’d be trying to optimize all three versions… But it just doesn’t work that way. We don’t have the money, we don’t have the resources, we don’t have the manpower. So we just prioritize what’s best for the company’s money. So let’s put all our money into the PlayStation, then the Xbox, then the PC.”
However, the current condition doesn’t seem to support the last claim. York was there during the production of GTAV, but a lot transpired following its release. Rockstar may decide not to have the funds, manage their money well, and carry on with the same development methodology that has consistently produced excellent games. They most likely already know that a lot can be added to a PC version later on, which makes it more profitable in the long run.
Well, the exact release date for the GTA 6 PC version is still uncertain. But despite the delay, based on their track record, there’s a strong likelihood of a PC release at some point.
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