This is why GTA 6 won’t launch on PC alongside PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
Rockstar Games continues its long-standing tradition of prioritizing console releases first.
Rockstar Games has officially confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI will launch on May 26, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. However, the studio has not announced a PC release date, following a pattern seen with previous titles like GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2.
The delay in bringing GTA 6 to PC is not unusual: Rockstar has historically optimized its games for closed console ecosystems first, ensuring maximum performance before scaling to PC.
Why does Rockstar delay PC versions?
There are several reasons why Rockstar doesn’t launch PC versions simultaneously with consoles:
- Optimization: PC gaming requires support for a wide range of hardware configurations, making optimization more complex.
- Sales strategy: Console versions often generate strong first-day sales, and delaying the PC release prolongs excitement and maintains momentum.
- Technical testing: Rockstar spends months testing PC ports to ensure stability across different GPUs and CPUs.
While Rockstar’s PC ports are among the best in the industry, they require extensive testing to meet the studio’s high standards.
How long will PC players have to wait?
Looking at Rockstar’s past releases:
- GTA IV launched on PC eight months after its console debut.
- GTA V took nearly two years to arrive on PC.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 was released on PC over a year after its console launch.
Based on this pattern, GTA 6’s PC version could arrive between late 2026 and early 2028, though Rockstar has yet to confirm an exact timeline.
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