5 reasons why GTA 6 not coming to PS4 and Xbox One is the right decision

Modified Jun 12, 2024 07:19 GMT

In December 2023, Rockstar Games announced that GTA 6 would be released on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2025. While the news has upset the PC playerbase, some previous-gen gamers on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are also sad that the new game will not be playable on their consoles. However, this was anticipated and many fans said Rockstar did a good thing by neglecting older consoles.

This article lists five reasons why GTA 6 not releasing on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is a good decision by Rockstar.

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

5 reasons why Rockstar Games made a good decision by leaving PS4 and Xbox One out of GTA 6 release platforms

1) The systems are weak

A screenshot of Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced Version (Image via Rockstar Games)

The last-gen consoles were released in November 2013 and have aged well. While they were the most powerful gaming consoles of their time, both have now become outdated and not powerful enough for modern gaming.

Therefore, GTA 6 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One would be a bad idea, as the upcoming game has been built keeping modern gaming hardware in mind. Players wouldn’t be pleased if the new game lags on less capable platforms.

2) The developers may soon end support for the platforms

A majority of the gaming community has already shifted to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, as most games are released only for the new consoles. As a result, both Sony and Microsoft may soon end support for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

In that scenario, releasing Grand Theft Auto 6 on PS4 and Xbox One could be a huge mistake for Rockstar Games. Therefore, it would make sense for the developer to focus on the latest consoles.

Also read: GTA 6 new announcement rumors

3) They lack advanced hardware specifications

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Grand Theft Auto 6 is rumored to have advanced features, such as ray tracing, global illumination, and denser NPC spawns. These features require advanced hardware, which is missing from the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Even if Rockstar Games releases the upcoming game on the old-gen consoles, it has to be heavily downscaled, which will ruin the gameplay experience. A new GTA 6 leak suggests that Rockstar Games is using at least nine types of advanced gaming features, all of which require hardware components. Therefore, the upcoming game should not be released on the PS4 and Xbox One.

4) GTA Online is barely playable on old-gen consoles

In the last few years, Grand Theft Auto 5 Online has gradually become unplayable on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Severe lags and disappearing textures have become common. Rockstar Games even cut some OG features from these consoles to allow the game to run.

As such, expecting GTA 6 Story Mode and GTA 6 Online to run smoothly on these consoles is a huge ask.

5) Rockstar’s new services are only available on the latest consoles

A screenshot from the Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer 1 (Image via Rockstar Games)

Ever since the launch of the GTA 5 Expanded and Enhanced version, Rockstar Games has shifted its focus towards new consoles. All new additions to the game are only available for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The upcoming title is also expected to include these features. Since they are not available for older consoles, Rockstar Games made the right decision by abandoning the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. However, it will be interesting to see whether or not the PC version of GTA 6 includes these features.

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Edited by Dinesh Renthlei