There are huge expectations for the technical state of Grand Theft Auto VI. After a recent in-depth look at basic PS5 gameplay, the focus is now on core performance: developer Rockstar Games is currently targeting 30 frames per second for the consoles at launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. It’s not at all clear whether a 60 FPS performance mode will be available at the start of sales or later.
According to Kotaku, Rockstar North development director Rob Nelson said that amid ongoing development work, the open-world Hope is currently running at a stable 30 FPS on current consoles. During a tour of the studio with content creators like Davy Jones and media representatives from Flow Games, Nelson made it clear that the team is completely focused on the massive level of detail and complex world simulation.
Studio management didn’t want to commit to a 60 FPS performance mode. Nelson explained that the possible 60 FPS option still requires close coordination with the technical team. There is no guarantee at this time whether this mode will be available immediately at launch, or if it will only be added in a later patch. Developers also keep specific data about the exact rendering resolution or the exact range of ray tracing effects.
If GTA 6 were limited to 30 frames per second when released on consoles, this would be in line with Rockstar’s historical release policies. GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 also hit 30 FPS on their original target platforms. In GTA V, the usual 60 FPS mode only appeared a few years later with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions. It’s unclear whether a more powerful PlayStation 5 Pro or a 40 FPS mode with a 120 Hz display would help.
PC gamers still have the prospect of unlimited frame rates – although an official announcement of a PC version has yet to be made.
