GTA 6 is set to have a new, more powerful console to run on when it releases in 2025. That’s according to analysts and reports claiming a PS5 Pro will be out as early as this year. What does this mean for GTA VI? Let’s take a look at the reports.
Industry Reports on PS5 Pro
Back in March last year, a report from Insider Gaming claimed a PS5 Pro is in development. This outlet has a decent track record and were the ones who leaked the PlayStation Portal, PS5 Silm with detachable disc drive, among other things. Their report said the PS5 Pro had a “tentative release date of late 2024”.
In the last few days, CNBC put out an article looking at Sony/PlayStation’s less than positive outlook for the upcoming year. The corporation announced that they have cut their sales forecast of PS5 consoles for 2024. They also told investors the PS5 is now in the “latter” stage of its lifecycle.
According to the CEO of games consultancy firm Kantan Games, “There seems to be a broad consensus in the game industry that Sony is indeed preparing a launch of a PS5 Pro in the second half of 2024”.
Sony want this PS5 Pro out for GTA VI
Those were the words of Serkan Toto. He went onto say that “Sony will want to make sure to have a great piece of hardware ready when GTA VI hits in 2025, a launch that will be a shot in the arm for the entire gaming industry”.
Where PlayStation are looking to put out another “Pro” mid-gen refresh, Xbox is said to not be focusing on that but rather ring in a brand new generation early ahead of PlayStation. This could disrupt the market much like the Xbox 360 did in 2005, a year before the PS3 came out.
Why is a PS5 Pro a big deal for GTA VI?
As for what this means for GTA VI, the PS5 being an enhanced console will likely give Rockstar the horsepower to delivery greater fidelity and performance out of the gate. There is a feeling GTA VI will be running at 4K resolution and 30FPS when it launches in 2025 on both PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Currently, the next instalment in the Grand Theft Auto series has only been confirmed to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S and not PC. Rockstar Games typically release a PC version a year or so after the console edition.
60FPS has become a much needed trait for new game releases. Titles such as Redfall and Gotham Knights received substantial backlash online due to a 30FPS cap at launch. GTA VI looks to be a significantly more dense game with superior graphics and features so a 30FPS lock may not turn so many fans away.
If a theoretical PS5 Pro could achieve 60FPS in GTA VI at launch, it would be a big seller. GTA VI is already a juggernaut and would likely lead to the most growth in PS5 Pro sales.
The current-gen versions of GTA V do have a 60FPS mode and that has been a game changer for console players. Having them go back to 30 frames per second would be a tough pill to swallow.
If they had the option to spend more money for that extra frame rate, many games would take that up. Of course, Rockstar might perform their wizardry and get a 60FPS mode on the base PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles but experts are inclined to believe it might not happen.
Into the unknown of the PS5 Pro
We also don’t exactly know the aim of this PS5 Pro. A patent suggests one such feature would be to allow for greater ray tracing performance. Other rumours have brought up a new upscaling technology similar to Nvidia’s DLSS that would give higher frame rates.
If the PS5 Pro is indeed launching at the end of this year, the dev kits are likely in hands of Sony’s top partners. One to two years is also a decent amount of time for Rockstar to harness the power of this mid-gen upgrade.
It will be very interesting to see how this pans out. If the PS5 Pro hits before Christmas this year, we’ll start to understand its capabilities for GTA VI’s release and how it will be better.
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2 Comments
So why bring out a new version of the console (slim/slim digital) if you are going to release a boosted version a little while after?!? Very few are going to want to pay out for a Pro, if they have just got a Slim.
It’ll be amazing to see how Rockstar utilizes the PS5’s hardware to enhance the GTA 6 experience! The potential for improved graphics, faster load times and a more immersive world is huge. I’m already excited to see what they’ll bring to the table.