Grand Theft Auto 6 is launching on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, but a former developer asserts that porting the massive open-world title to the Nintendo Switch 2 does not make financial or technical sense for Rockstar Games.
As Rockstar Games prepares for its launch, speculation regarding potential hardware ports continues to circulate online. While a PC version is widely anticipated to happen within the first year or two, recent discussions have focused on whether Nintendo’s new console could handle the ambitious return to Vice City and the fully realized state of Leonida. According to former open-world designer Jérémy Hartvick, who worked on GTA 6 from 2017 through to 2020, bringing the blockbuster title to a portable Nintendo device is an uphill battle that lacks clear business justification.
Audience Overlap and Market Realities for Nintendo Switch 2
Speaking in a members-only interview on the YouTube channel Kiwi Talkz, Hartvick argued that the typical Grand Theft Auto fan and the core Nintendo consumer represent distinct demographics. He noted that players eager to experience the studio’s next major release are almost certain to acquire the hardware necessary to run it properly.
I don't believe it even makes sense, because I'm not sure the audience for GTA 6 is so much the audience for the Switch. If you’re a GTA fan, you would probably buy a console on which GTA will come out,
Jérémy Hartvick, former open-world designer at Rockstar Games, via Kiwi Talkz
The developer pointed out that PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S serve as the natural home for such heavy software. Because consumers routinely purchase a console on which GTA will come out, the studio faces little pressure to compromise its vision to capture secondary markets.
Technical Compromises and Development Overhead
Beyond audience alignment, the sheer scale of the upcoming title presents steep engineering hurdles for portable architecture. Grand Theft Auto VI is stacking up to be one of the biggest launches in the history of the games industry, if analyst predictions are true. However, according to Jérémy Hartvick, a port to Nintendo’s Switch 2 handheld isn’t likely.
Hartvick described the situation as “complicated,” pointing out that a Switch 2 version would probably require several technical compromises. Specifically, the console’s relatively weak central processor could potentially create problems with the large-scale simulation of the game world, to which Rockstar traditionally pays great attention.
Does it make sense for you to go out of your way to probably deliver a subpar experience, because it does not run exactly the same when you know anyone will buy a PS5 to get your game?
Jérémy Hartvick, former open-world designer at Rockstar Games, via Dexerto
While the open-world title could be a venerable system seller, a port that doesn’t offer the same experience as other platforms might be a different story. Developers would have to make compromises to run the game on less powerful hardware, which could lead to noticeably worse quality compared to versions for current-gen consoles.
Cloud Streaming and the Smartphone Horizon
Despite his skepticism toward a native hardware port, the former developer suggested that it would be possible to get the game running on the Switch 2, albeit with compromises to things like in-game visuals.
Pushing that technical logic further, Hartvick went so far as to suggest that Rockstar could conceivably get GTA VI running on a smartphone in one way or another.
If they put their mind to it, you could be playing GTA 6 on your phone because that technology exists, and it has been proven.
As the November 19 launch date approaches for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, there are still no official details about a possible Nintendo Switch 2 version, leaving fans to weigh hardware upgrades against lingering portability hopes.