Ex-Rockstar dev doubts GTA 6 Switch 2 release, with PS5 better match for game

Although PC users are anxious for news, rumors have also swirled about a GTA 6 Switch 2 port. However, a former Rockstar developer doesn’t think the handheld is well suited for the game. In a new interview, Jérémy Hartvick says most buyers would prefer a PS5 version with fewer compromises.

Performance challenges

Hartvick worked for Rockstar North between 2017 and 2020 on projects including the latest Grand Theft Auto. His tasks involved open-world design, with a dense Leonida stressing current-gen consoles. The developer recently spoke to Kiwi Talkz in a currently paywalled YouTube video.

The ex-Rockstar Games employee explains that a GTA 6 Switch 2 release would introduce technical hurdles. Even after the studio devotes resources to optimizing performance, the result may be a “subpar experience.”

Hartvick is also skeptical of how many Nintendo supporters would flock to the game. He says, “I don’t believe it even makes sense,” and questioned if the “audience for GTA 6 is so much the audience for the Switch.” Meanwhile, a large player base already owns a PS5 or will buy the hardware before the November release date.

The developer didn’t dismiss the chances of the title eventually making it to the Switch 2. He offered streaming as an alternative to a native port with degraded visuals. Smartphones have also become more capable of running demanding AAA candidates.

Too many downgrades?

Following the lengthy Netflix trailer, Rockstar North's Rob Nelson revealed that current builds were aiming for 30 fps. The crowds of NPCs and high detail levels in the footage raised doubts about whether even the PS5 Pro could hit 40 or 60 fps. Given the obstacles, the Nintendo handheld may struggle to render the open-world map smoothly.

Despite uncertainty surrounding a GTA 6 Switch 2 port, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick earlier expressed “great optimism for the platform.” The publisher already introduced Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy to the previous-gen console. Later, an upgraded Red Dead Redemption arrived on its successor.

Insiders have also given some reason for encouragement. In late 2025, leaker NateTheHate claimed that Rockstar had explored bringing Grand Theft Auto 6 to the newer system.