Millions of console players have just received terrible news ahead of the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. According to their analysis, thinking about playing GTA VI at 60 FPS on PS5 or Xbox Series

Digital Foundry raises alarm bells about GTA VI on consoles

Digital Foundry, a medium specialized in technical analysis of video games and hardware, has taken very seriously the question that everyone asks about GTA VI on consoles, how the game is really going to move. To answer it, they have reviewed trailers and frame-by-frame captures and the conclusion is quite clear, the materials shown by Rockstar run at 30 FPS and already there the current hardware goes to the limit.

These trailers feature heavy use of ray-traced global illumination, pixel lighting, and scenes filled with NPCs that move and react dynamically. All of this implies a brutal load for the CPU and GPU of a PS5 or an Xbox Series

To this complexity we must add something very typical of the GTA saga: movements at full speed on land, sea and air, with physics and destruction systems that must be calculated in real time. Maintaining 60 FPS with that combination of open world, ray tracing and character density is an almost impossible mission for base consoles, according to the media's analysis.

Digital Foundry even suggests that some screenshots could have been taken on more powerful yet unannounced hardware, which would mean that the graphical level we've seen may not exactly reflect what PS5 and Xbox Series X/S users will see on their standard consoles.

What all this means for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S

The blow for console players comes for a very specific reason, the general expectation was to repeat the story of GTA V, which ended up reaching 60 FPS on PS5 and Xbox Series X in its improved version. However, Digital Foundry insists that GTA VI plays in another league and that 2020 consoles simply cannot keep up if the goal is to maintain a stable 60 frames per second.

Here comes the leak from Polish insider Borys Nieśpielak, who assures that Rockstar works with two graphic modes, one for performance and the other for quality. In theory, performance mode would seek those 60 FPS, while quality mode would prioritize resolution and ray tracing. Nieśpielak himself clarifies that the information is not confirmed and Digital Foundry is skeptical, the media believes that this 60 FPS mode could exist in development, but not be ready for the November 19 launch and could even fall by the wayside.

A curious detail that adds fuel to the discussion is that MediaMarkt Poland even listed Performance Mode and Quality Mode in its GTA VI reservation sheet, although it removed the mention shortly after. This suggests that Rockstar is considering different settings, but does not guarantee that there will be a 60 FPS mode on current consoles.

What seems more viable on paper is a scenario in which PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are left with a stable mode at 30 FPS, perhaps accompanied by some intermediate mode on improved consoles. In fact, the idea of ​​a 40 FPS option on PS5 Pro has been put on the table, taking advantage of more advanced rescaling techniques to offer a somewhat more fluid experience without sacrificing so much image quality.

The worrying part for players is that such an ambitious game can result in irregular frame rates, jerks, and less accurate response times if the hardware is just right. In a title with frenetic driving, shooting and constant action, every millisecond counts and poor optimization can make the experience feel less satisfying than many expect.

Why many look at the PC as an alternative to enjoy GTA VI

This scenario opens up a question that many players are already asking, where are you going to want to play GTA VI if you are looking for the best technical experience possible. Digital Foundry doesn't pose a pro-PC dogma, but it does make it clear that the flexibility of the PC ecosystem is a better fit for such a demanding game.

On PC, users can mount GPUs far above what current consoles offer, in addition to CPUs with more cores and threads, better cooling, and faster memory. All of this translates into more scope for Rockstar to offer settings that reach 60 FPS or even higher, while maintaining the level of detail we've seen in the trailers without having to cut back as much on lighting effects or NPC density.

At the same time, it is true that the PC is not a magic solution; it requires investment, maintenance and dealing with possible driver problems or specific bugs. That's why it doesn't make sense to see this as a rigid scheme between console and PC. The interesting thing is that the performance gap between 2020 consoles and modern PCs means that many players who previously settled for console versions are now seriously considering taking the leap to enjoy GTA VI in all its splendor.

There is another point that weighs heavily on users' decisions in recent history. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 showed how complicated it can be to launch a gigantic title on limited hardware, while on PC they end up shining when they go through several rounds of patches and optimizations. If GTA VI repeats that pattern, many players will prefer to bet on a PC configuration capable of maintaining fluidity and stability throughout the game's life cycle.

In any case, even within the console world there are nuances. A user who prioritizes living room comfort, hassle-free gameplay, and the PS5 or Xbox ecosystem can still be happy with a quality mode at 30 FPS if Rockstar makes the experience cinematic and stable. Another player profile, obsessed with fluidity and perfect reflexes, will see the PC, or a possible improved console in the future, as the natural path to enjoying GTA VI as you imagine it.

What Digital Foundry's analysis makes clear is that the current generation of consoles has found a very obvious limit in GTA VI, and that reality is going to influence the purchasing decisions of many players in the coming months. The question is no longer just when GTA VI will be released, but on what platform you are going to want to experience Vice City knowing that the dream of 60 FPS on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S could remain a dream.