My first viewing of the GTA 6 trailer felt like being kissed by the sun after emerging from a dark, desolate tunnel. Freed from all those years of obscurity and vague teases, I got a glimpse at the bustling streets of reimagined Vice City. I saw its sandy beaches that stretch endlessly like a golden canvas, I gawked at the sheer variety of its pedestrians, and before I could reel my jaw back in, I was astounded by the finesse with which it established the dynamic between its protagonists.
As far as 90-second showings are concerned, this was a home run on all fronts. But my elation soon turned into exhaustive groans as I shuffled over to Rockstar’s website, only to find that GTA 6 will exclusively be releasing on consoles on day one. The modding connosieur within me curled up in a ball, and my excitement derailed from ‘full steam ahead’ to nestling into a compartment seat with wavering interest. To put it succinctly, GTA 6’s absence from PC is borderline appalling, and I’m here to tell you why.
GTA 6 Skipping PC Makes No Sense
It’s public knowledge that PC is the premier platform for gaming. Not only does it provide the best possible visuals, but it also doesn’t gate online play behind an arbitrary paywall. It also houses the most extensive collection of gamers and usually accounts for almost 50% of sales for major AAA titles. Then why is Rockstar so insistent on sticking with their antiquated policy of delayed PC releases for GTA 6?
Honestly, it’s hard to point to a concrete reason, especially in an era where PlayStation’s console exclusives are slowly making their way onto Steam, while Xbox has given up entirely. The only platform standing firm on the exclusivity gimmick is Nintendo, but that’s to be expected.
I’d argue that Rockstar is the worst offender of them all, considering it took GTA 5 18 months to arrive on the platform, while Red Dead Redemption plodded its way onto PC 14 years after its initial launch with a $50 price tag. This release cadence is, at the very least, disjointed and also a bit disrespectful to the studio’s faithful PC player base.
Considering just how big the GTA 5 RP scene was, it makes no logical sense to skip the platform. A potential Steam release would only catapult GTA 6’s monumental sales figures into the stratosphere, which further eliminates any semblance of a rational reason. This leaves me feeling justified in saying that the decision to leave out PC is unacceptable, while also having a minor theory – Rockstar is banking on a post-release PC sales boost.
Think of it as a cunning way to maximize revenue, since players are likely to purchase the game twice to experience the new bells and whistles added to the PC port. We saw it happen with Red Dead Redemption 2, and I’m almost certain it will happen on an even larger scale with GTA 6. The move is sure to look slick on future earnings reports. But it comes at the risk of hamstringing the day one figures by hitching its wagon to just two platforms.
Rockstar Has Put Unnecessary Brakes on Modding Greatness
Besides alienating PC gamers, a delayed release strips us of those marvelous fan creations that capture the chaotic essence of GTA without worrying about pesky IP laws. It means that I cannot play through the main story as Thomas the Tank Engine, or roleplay as Master Chief trying to bring order to streets packed with The Covenant. What does that mean? All the best GTA 5 mods are out!
It also means no Shrek in a Ferrari, no Superman with a bazooka, and no sprawling police chases that turn into a showdown between donut-devouring cops and SpongeBob wielding a minigun. We’re losing not just content, but the culture, humor, and the community that thrives when modders get their hands on Rockstar’s sandbox.
More importantly, we’re also losing out on the incredibly fleshed-out GTA RP experiences that have captured the intrigue of millions of players worldwide. And all for what? Make it make sense, Rockstar. I refuse to believe that a billion-dollar company laden with every resource possible cannot pull off a functional PC port on day one. Other ambitious games did it, some of which were admittedly broken, but the availability is what counts.
It all leaves PC gamers stuck between GTA 6 at 30 FPS or GTA 6 on YouTube, a completely unnecessary choice, especially in 2025.
Do you share my frustrations with GTA 6 launching only on consoles on day one? Let us know in the comments below.
