Why Rockstar should re-consider a GTA 6 PC day-one release

A decade after Grand Theft Auto 5's release, Rockstar Games finally provided an official look at GTA 6 via its first trailer in December 2023. While the fanbase was initially elated, unfortunate news followed for PC users, as it was announced that the highly anticipated title would be released only on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S at launch in 2025.

Though disappointing, the decision was not surprising, as Grand Theft Auto titles are usually released on consoles first. Even Grand Theft Auto 5 came out on PC nearly two years after its original release on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013. That said, there are some reasons why Rockstar Games can consider changing the tactic and release GTA 6 on PC on day one.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions. Rockstar Games has not officially confirmed Grand Theft Auto 6 for PC yet.

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Here's why Rockstar Games should consider releasing GTA 6 PC port on day-one

In May 2020, Grand Theft Auto 5 was temporarily offered for free on the Epic Games Store. For those unaware, Epic Games Store is a digital store for PC video games, like Steam. Even though this was five years after the title's PC launch, several fans still wanted to claim it and the heavy traffic seemingly caused some technical issues.

This is a great example of just how much demand there is for Grand Theft Auto on PC alone, and how big of a playerbase there is on this platform. Even Marvel Rivals, a recent title that garnered praise from the gaming community, has reportedly made $54.5 million on Steam in its first month of launch.

Considering how much hype there is for GTA 6, so much so that several fan theories have predicted a release date for its second trailer, the demand could easily be a lot higher. In short, Rockstar could potentially boost its day-one sales figures if the title arrives on PC at launch.

This would be great not only for developers but also PC players as they have been waiting for it for a really long time, just like console players, but the title hasn't even been officially announced for their platform yet.

This is notably the longest gap between two successive entries in this franchise. Hence, while unlikely, these factors should be good enough to re-consider releasing GTA 6 on PC on day one.

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That said, Rockstar is correct in its own right to follow the tactic of a console-only day-one launch, as it seems to have worked pretty well so far.

Grand Theft Auto 5 generated one billion dollars in sales within just three days after launching on PS3 and Xbox 360, and in fact, continues to sell well. As of this writing, GTA 5 has sold over 205 million copies. So, even if GTA 6's potential PC port gets released a few years later, it seems unlikely to cause Rockstar any significant loss.

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Also check: Rockstar insider expects an announcement soon, either about GTA 6 or GTA 5 PC update