Since this is a translation of an overseas article, there may be some mistranslations.
https://hothardware.com/news/why-gta-6-skipping-pc-launch-ex-rockstar-dev
Former Rockstar Developer Reveals Why GTA 6 Is Skipping PC Launch
Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) is the most anticipated video game release in a decade, with many analysts predicting it will revitalize the industry.
However, when the game launches later this year, it will only be playable on Sony and Microsoft's current-generation consoles, leaving PC players out in the cold. A former Rockstar developer who appeared on the Kiwi Talkz podcast explained why the studio chose this staggered release schedule.
In a New Zealand-based broadcast interview, John Ricchio shared that having clearly defined hardware targets is key. The veteran developer, who worked at the studio for over 10 years, said it allows developers to "know exactly what the specs are, know what the thermal limits of the device are, and be able to pour all their resources into this. You don't have to worry about things like 'What if this guy has a graphics card that's 10 years old?'"
Furthermore, if the PC version had been developed alongside the console versions, additional work would have been needed to scale it down for consoles. This could have resulted in further delays as developers spent time coding specific rendering techniques or handling messages differently to ensure the game ran well on the limited hardware of consoles. "That's a lot of hand-crafting," he said.
Besides the extended development time, there were likely other considerations that led to the decision to delay the PC release. Earlier this year, Rockstar suffered a ransomware attack that exposed financial details, including revenue generated from Grand Theft Auto Online microtransactions across all platforms.
According to the leaked data, PS5 generated the most revenue, followed by PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and lastly Xbox One. PC generated the least revenue from microtransactions.
Clearly, the studio's primary source of income is console players, which sheds a different light on the staggered release. Nevertheless, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S owners can look forward to finally getting their hands on GTA 6 on November 19th. Hopefully, PC players won't have to wait too long to experience everything Leonida has to offer.
▶ Source: https://hothardware.com/news/why-gta-6-skipping-pc-launch-ex-rockstar-dev
