Grand Theft Auto 6 will only be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S when it launches on November 19, and there is a lot of suspicion swirling around that this is a carefully thought out strategy to corner gamers into buying a console or purchasing the game twice once it finally comes out on PC. The wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 has hit a fever pitch lately, as pre-orders and new images have made Rockstar’s highly anticipated game feel closer than ever.
As exciting as the approaching GTA 6 release is, the game not launching for PC from the start is disappointing. Granted, this definitely isn’t out of the ordinary for Rockstar. GTA 5‘s PC port came out several months after the initial launch, and Red Dead Redemption 2 didn’t come to PC until a full year after the console release. Not launching on PC alongside consoles has been Rockstar’s M.O. for a long time now, but that hasn’t stopped the suspicion that the developer is capitalizing on the GTA 6 hype to help the industry sell more consoles.
GTA 6 Being a Console-Only Game at Launch Is Bound to Tempt Some Gamers to Buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S
This definitely isn’t going to apply to every PC gamer, but there are plenty of people out there who will be willing to fork over some cash for a console in order to play GTA 6 alongside everyone else who gets to experience it at launch. The FOMO is going to be intense with GTA 6, and Rockstar, Sony, and Xbox are more than likely banking on the feeling of being the only person not invited to the party. Between the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition locking extra in-game content behind paywalls and Rockstar pricing the Standard Edition at $80, the game’s cost has sparked a lot of debate online, and adding a console purchase into the mix only adds to the wallet strain.
Reddit has been one of the go-to places to discuss GTA 6 in-depth for years now, and the idea that Rockstar is trying to push PC users into buying a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S is a pretty common line of thought. Former Rockstar producer John Ricchio recently stated in an interview with Reece ‘Kiwi Talkz’ Reilly on YouTube that the studio isn’t “anti any platform” and that PC ports are usually dealt with after console launches simply because they can be so time-consuming. Not everyone is convinced, though.
Reddit user CarlWellsGrave states, “They can sell it to you twice. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out,” while draven33l claims, “It’s not coming to PC at launch because they want a double dip.” Of course, not every gamer waiting for GTA 6 believes this is the case, but it’s going to be fascinating to see if PS5 and Xbox Series X/S sales numbers skyrocket in the weeks leading up to the GTA 6 launch.
Consoles Becoming More Expensive Again Could Simply Be a Coincidence, But It Also Feels Like GTA 6 Preparation
There is no doubt that the RAM crisis is still going on and has no signs of slowing down any time soon. However, some of the price hikes that Sony, Xbox, and Nintendo have enacted in recent months feel egregious. The most notorious price increase that has hit consoles is the PS5 Pro cost. When it launched, this high-performance version of the console was priced at $700, which is already incredibly expensive for a console. Now, Sony has increased that to a whopping $900.
The RAM crisis being the main driving force behind these price hikes is the most likely explanation, but it’s understandable that some would be led to believe that Sony and Xbox are also seeing this as a grand opportunity to sell more consoles in the wake of GTA 6 for a much higher price than the companies originally would have without the RAM shortage.
Not launching on PC alongside consoles has been Rockstar’s M.O. for a long time now.
There’s also the fact that Sony is already pushing the PS5 as the best console to play GTA 6 on. Senior Vice President of SIE Marketing Mary Yee has claimed that the PS5’s “immersive features” are going to make it the ideal GTA 6 platform. That’s an obvious push to sell consoles, and it’s hard to blame these companies for wanting to get as much profit as possible from a game that’s expected to be one of the biggest launches the industry has ever seen.
GTA 6’s Marketing Is Only Going to Get More Intense
After the GTA 6 pre-orders went live last month, Rockstar has still remained relatively quiet. There hasn’t even been a third GTA 6 trailer released yet. Once the next big sneak peek happens, though, it’s likely to kick the real marketing push into gear. Honestly, Rockstar doesn’t really have to do much when it comes to marketing, but the hype alone is going to hit new heights and be what drives a lot of PC gamers to fold and give into console temptations.
Rockstar also has yet to confirm whether an online version of GTA 6 is happening or not. Since GTA Online was such a huge success, it would be surprising if GTA 6 didn’t get an online counterpart. GTA Online has a huge PC player base, so there are definitely gamers out there who aren’t as interested in GTA 6‘s single-player story and are mainly focused on a potential GTA 6 Online announcement.
Whether someone buys a console to play GTA 6 or not is a personal choice. There are massive expectations surrounding GTA 6, so it’s understandable why so many people would be ready to buy a completely new system in order to feel part of such a historic launch. On the flip side, though, many gamers have gotten used to the GTA 6 wait. Even if GTA 6‘s PC version takes one or two more years to come out, a lot of people will be willing to stick it out a little bit longer to avoid buying a console or purchasing the game twice. Whatever happens, it’s going to be incredibly interesting to see what happens to console sales in the next few months.
- Released
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November 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+
