Why GTA 6 releasing only on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S makes sense: A breakdown of leaks and reports so far

The anticipation for GTA 6 is at an all-time high, with insiders, data miners, and leakers constantly monitoring Rockstar Games for any information about the title. Although the gaming studio hasn't made an official announcement about the upcoming game yet, fans are fairly certain that Rockstar will forego the last-gen PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles for its release, opting instead for PC and next-gen consoles.

The infamous September 2022 leaks and a few subsequent insider reports point to the same conclusion. Many players have also noticed the unusual behavior of the current Grand Theft Auto game on older consoles and Rockstar Games' new approach with GTA Online. This article explains why Grand Theft Auto 6 might only be available on PC and next-generation consoles.

Note: The leaked data cannot be shown here due to legal restrictions.

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GTA 6 is an ambitious project that will require advanced hardware to run

Rockstar Games is known for pushing the limits of open-world gaming with each new release, and Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to do the same. Since the release of Grand Theft Auto 5 in 2013, the gaming industry has advanced significantly, and many current AAA titles have far superior graphics and gameplay mechanics.

While an official teaser for the upcoming title is yet to arrive, the September 2022 GTA 6 leaks revealed many pre-alpha videos of the game, implying that it will have more realistic graphics and gameplay physics than the current game.

The leaked videos showed photorealistic graphics and a more detailed open world. Given that the clips are from the pre-alpha stage and still look stunning, it is clear that Rockstar Games is aiming for the game to run at its full potential on PC and next-gen consoles.

The community is also constantly examining leaked footage to determine the size of the map in the upcoming game. A recent GTA 6 leaked map on Reddit (now deleted) showed a Vice City map much larger than the State of San Andreas.

The current game requires a substantial amount of hardware power to run smoothly. If the leaked map is accurate, the older-generation PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles may be unable to render the vast new open world properly. Therefore, it is beneficial for Rockstar to release the game only for updated hardware.

While these are merely fan theories, a recent report by Tom Henderson, an author at Insider Gaming, stated that Rockstar Games has already set a GTA 6 release date of 2024 with a potential delay period until the holiday of 2025. According to Tom, the studio will release the game only on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

The latest-generation consoles were released in 2020, but they still do not have as many players as the previous generation. The report further stated that Rockstar is waiting for the new consoles to build up a sufficient player base so that GTA 6 can have the desired player count when it is released.