Why Rockstar should make a unique GTA game for Nintendo Switch 2 instead of porting GTA 5

The Nintendo Switch is one of the most requested platforms for GTA 5’s re-release. However, after the recent rumors about the next iteration of the console named Nintendo Switch 2 (unofficial), fans are now rooting for new hardware. Despite being over a decade old, Grand Theft Auto 5 is still a big game that requires significant hardware power.

Currently, the Steam Deck is the only handheld console that can run the official version of the game. Rockstar Games has also released a few exclusive titles for handheld consoles in the past.

This article explains why the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 should have new GTA titles instead of a Grand Theft Auto 5 port.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions.

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Rockstar Games should re-enter the handheld console market with new GTA titles instead of old game ports

There could be many subjective reasons as to why Rockstar Games should re-enter the handheld console market with the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. However, the following two reasons should suffice as to why the studio should make new titles instead of porting its old video games:

1) Rockstar Games has various exclusive titles for handheld consoles

While most of the games in the Grand Theft Auto series are known to run on mainstream gaming platforms, Rockstar Games had previously released various titles for handheld consoles. Most notably, Grand Theft Auto: Advance (2004) and Chinatown Wars (2009) are two unique titles that were designed for handheld platforms only.

Moreover, Grand Theft Auto (1997) and Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999) were also released for handheld consoles.

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2) Rockstar Games is not good with ports

Despite Take-Two Interactive’s CEO’s claims regarding making ports worth the effort, Rockstar Games hasn’t seen much success with them. The recent port of Red Dead Redemption to the Nintendo Switch upset fans as the studio did not include any significant changes and instead offered the same old game.

The GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition is also reportedly a port of its mobile version, and it was met with severe backlashes.

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Therefore, the studio should focus on developing a new and exclusive GTA title that goes well with the specifications of the Nintendo Switch 2. The latest Grand Theft Auto title struggles to run smoothly on old-gen PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles. Therefore, expecting it to run on handheld consoles is a bold move.

However, the studio should think about making a new game only after announcing the GTA 6 release date. The community has been eagerly waiting for the next Grand Theft Auto title for a decade, and releasing any other games would likely anger fans.

Since there are no known projects from Rockstar after GTA 6, they should consider re-entering the handheld console market with new titles.