“GTA 6” will be released for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S at the end of 2025. The last-gen consoles will miss out, which will also cause problems for Rockstar Games. Because many players still rely on the old hardware. Can “Grand Theft Auto 6” accelerate the switch?
The gaming industry is in a slump after a boom triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and is hoping for a boost. The PS5 Pro is not a driving force on its own. Blockbuster games are needed to mobilize new players. Accordingly, attention is focused on “GTA 6,” which could get things moving in fall 2025.
While the Switch 2 and the general economic recovery will also have a positive impact on the gaming industry, “GTA 6” is even seen as a game that could potentially solve the PS4 problem. First, however, Rockstar Games is facing a problem.
PS4 continues to play a significant role
The PS5 was released at the end of 2020 and has been on the market for almost four years. But that doesn’t mean that the PS4 is written off. According to Sony, there is still one active PS4 for every active PS5, which makes a 50:50 ratio:
While the respective usage profiles have not been described in detail and an active PS4 does not necessarily mean that it is actually played on a regular basis, many console users do not seem to see any incentive to switch to the PS5.
At this point, Rockstar Games is also faced with a dilemma. According to the analysis company Ampere, the PS4 is by far the most active platform among the 20 million active users of “GTA Online”. The PS4 also plays a significant role for other service games.
Rockstar Games needs to split the player base
“By the time (GTA 6) launches, more GTA Online players will have moved to the latest consoles,” said Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games analyst at Ampere. “However, there will likely still be a significant proportion of players on the older devices and on PC.”
Therefore, Ampere assumes that “GTA Online” will continue to operate on the PS4 for a long time. However, this means that several communities will have to be maintained, as the user base will split with the launch of “GTA 6”.
According to Harding-Rolls, Rockstar Games has never faced such a challenge. The continued commercial importance of the “GTA” franchise leaves “very little room for error in transitioning and supporting their loyal audience during the launch of the new game.”
Are the console cycles still realistic?
If one game manages to get players to switch to the new consoles, it is “GTA 6”, says Christopher Dring from GamesindustryAt the same time, he wonders whether the seven-year console cycle still works if players need so many years to move to a new generation, while AAA blockbusters sometimes take four or five years to develop.
It is not clear when Sony will launch the PS6. However, the specifications of the still unannounced PS5 Pro suggest that it will be the first choice for “GTA 6” and will make another console superfluous for a long time. However, it remains to be seen when and how Microsoft will counter. In recent months, there have even been rumors about a standalone Xbox handheld.
Further news about GTA 6 on PLAY3.DE:
We will probably find out what impact “GTA 6” will really have in the fall of 2025. While part of the industry hopes that the “PS4 problem” will be solved, others are trying to avoid the launch period as much as possible. It can also be assumed that other live service games will see a decline in player numbers, at least in the short or medium term.
More news about GTA 6.
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