GTA 6 is the best advert for PS5 Pro yet
GTA 6 is the best advert for PS5 Pro yet
If Sony wants to sell the PS5 Pro, a Grand Theft Auto 6 bundle is a must
The wait for GTA 6 feels all the more excruciating now that we’ve seen a glimpse of what Rockstar’s long-awaited sequel will offer.
But with its incredible levels of visual fidelity, many are wondering how it will perform on current-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
According to the technical experts at Digital Foundry, who analyzed the record-breaking GTA 6 trailer, it seems to be running at a resolution of 1440p and 30fps.
That’s hardly a shock, considering the ambition and scope of the game. It also follows the same pattern as Grand Theft Auto 5, Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2, all of which were 30fps when they were released.
However, with a PC release unlikely to arrive for a few years after GTA 6’s 2025 release date, console players will be looking for a way to get the best possible experience when it comes to performance and resolution. Cue the PS5 Pro.
A powerful proposition
Sony’s rumored mid-gen refresh of the PlayStation 5 could be the answer. While I don’t expect it to be powerful enough to run GTA 6 at 60fps, a resolution boast is all but a certainty, and it could provide a locked 30fps, which is crucial when dealing with lower frame rates.
We saw a similar situation with Red Dead Redemption 2. The game was released on PS4 and Xbox One, but the definitive experience was found on Microsoft’s Xbox One X, even though Sony offered a PS4 Pro bundle.
The Xbox One X was the only console that offered a native 4K resolution and a rock-solid frame rate, and it became the go-to option for those who didn’t want to compromise on Rockstar’s vision as a result.
Ready to rock
While the thought of Sony releasing a PS5 Pro right now doesn’t make much sense – the vast majority of games run at 60fps and there is a pleasing number of 120fps PS5 games, too – Grand Theft Auto 6 is the very definition of a system seller.
If Sony can offer a PS5 Pro bundle with GTA 6 and the promise that the PlayStation 5 Pro is the best way to play the game, you can guarantee players will flock to the new system without much hesitation.
The price will be a sticking point, of course. The PS5 Slim is currently $499, but I’d expect Sony to knock $100 off when the PS5 Pro releases and sell its new hardware for the current $499 price point. A $599 system would be a much harder sell for the masses, something which has been evident with the $549 PSVR 2.
With Microsoft ruling out a more powerful Xbox Series X for the time being, instead focusing its attention on the leaked Xbox Series X Slim, GTA 6 represents a great opportunity for Sony to cement the PS5 Pro as the most powerful console on the market – something which it can’t currently claim when it comes to PS5 vs Xbox Series X.
Grand Theft Auto VI is the perfect partner in crime for PS5 Pro, then, and the best advert yet for Sony to release a more powerful console to the masses. If the PlayStation 5 Pro can offer the best version of GTA 6 on consoles, perhaps with enhanced ray tracing or a crystal-clear 4K resolution, it’ll be hard to resist.