GTA 6: Rockstar Confirms 30 FPS On Consoles, PS5 Pro Gets Ray Tracing

It's now official: Grand Theft Auto VI is targeting 30 frames per second on all consoles. Rockstar clarified what PlayStation and Xbox players can expect technically in a statement released at the start of the preload. Those who were hoping for 60 FPS will need to adjust their expectations for now.

30 FPS target: What Rockstar officially says

Rockstar states that the game was developed from the ground up for the current console generation and aims for 30 frames per second. Both platforms are being pushed to their absolute limits to render the dense and highly detailed world of Leonida. The word "targeting" is notable: Rockstar promises a goal, not guaranteed consistency. Kotaku also points out that the term sounds rather cautious.

An overview of the console versions:

All Consoles: The target is 30 FPS on PlayStation and Xbox Series X|S.
PS5 Pro: improved image clarity through PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and ray-traced shadows, which Rockstar states are only available on the Pro.
PS5: fully integrated haptics and adaptive triggers on the DualSense (customizable via accessibility settings), enhanced 3D audio with Tempest, and shorter loading times. Rockstar calls this "play best on PlayStation 5."
Xbox Series X and S: run natively according to Xbox Wire, with the Series S being the most affordable way to play.

Will GTA 6 run on Xbox One?

Yes, but only via streaming. According to Xbox Wire, GTA 6 will be playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S via Xbox Cloud Gaming on launch day, starting November 19 at 1 AM ET. This will utilize the graphics settings of the Xbox Series S. Starting November 11, players in supported markets can purchase cloud play time without needing a Game Pass subscription. The game itself must be purchased separately.

Rockstar itself warns: connection speed and other technical factors can affect performance in ways that local play does not. Additionally, GTA 6 supports Remote Play on PlayStation and Xbox, according to Rockstar. Insider Gaming also mentions PC as a Remote Play target in this context; Rockstar's wording in other sources only refers to PlayStation and Xbox.

Preload live: New trailer and start times

The preload for PS5 and Xbox is starting concurrently, nine days before the November 19 release. Sony states that GTA 6 is the most pre-ordered game in PlayStation Store history, and Microsoft reports the same for the Microsoft Store. On PlayStation, the game will also launch with a rolling midnight release per country, beginning at 0:00 NZDT in New Zealand. There's also a new, short trailer showcasing the PS5 features:

We've calculated how long the download will take on slower connections in our article on the preload launch and download times at 10 Mbit/s and DSL 1,000. Both platform operators advise preloading as early as possible.

Our assessment

30 FPS is not a new approach for Rockstar: GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 also ran at 30 frames per second on the consoles of their time, and both were still massive hits. The crucial factor will be how stable the framerate remains, as "target" is not a promise. For PS5 Pro owners, there's a concrete added value, though according to Rockstar, only in terms of sharpness and shadows, not framerate. Whether this justifies a new purchase cannot be reliably determined before reviews. The Xbox One solution, on the other hand, is a pragmatic way to meet high demand, but it depends on your internet connection. The strength of pre-orders is also highlighted by our report that Take-Two sees GTA 6 pre-orders significantly exceeding expectations.