GTA 6 on Switch 2: Can Nintendo's Powerful Portable Handle Rockstar's Ambition?

Grand Theft Auto VI is poised to be the gaming event of 2026. Love it or hate it, GTA is a phenomenon, with its second trailer amassing over 135 million views, shattering records and feeding unprecedented anticipation. Fans have been waiting for more than a decade for the next installment in the franchise, and after several delays it now looks like we may be getting close to playing this crime epic for ourselves.

Set in a vibrant and satirical Vice City, inspired by Miami, GTA 6 promises an expansive open world with advanced physics, dynamic crowds, and intricate environmental interactions. Based on the game's PS5 footage in the trailer above, it appears to be a technical showcase unlike anything we have seen before. With the stunning fidelity on display, and the fact that the Playstation 5 seems to be running the game at 30fps, it raises the question; Is there any chance that Nintendo's Switch 2 could join the party?

While originally the answer seemed to be an easy no, we've recently seen some very impressive ports to the portable system, like the excellent editions of Star Wars Outlaws and Cyberpunk 2077, that make it seem more possible. Add that to the incredible sales of the Switch 2, (Nintendo just announced sales of over 10 million Switch 2 units since launch) and it makes us wonder, could this really happen?

GTA 6 on Switch 2 - How Could it Work?

Let's assume for a moment that Rockstar Games is interested in bringing Grand Theft Auto 6 to Switch 2, what could it look like? Many people point to the Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077 as evidence that the Switch 2 could handle GTA 6. After all, Cyberpunk has a lot of the same elements, city environments, shooting, and driving; but I'm not sure that's the case. While Cyberpunk is an incredible port, there is another impressive port that makes a better case for the capabilities of Switch 2 to run GTA 6, and that is the recent release of Star Wars Outlaws.

While Cyberpunk was originally designed to run on the previous hardware generation, so scaling to the Switch was more understandable, Star Wars Outlaws is a game that was designed for the current generation of consoles, and one that relies on ray tracing for lighting, reflections, and shadows. Initially it didn't seem like something Switch 2 would be able to cope with, but the Switch 2 port of Star Wars Outlaws is fantastic! While it definitely has cutbacks in several areas, it runs well, looks good, and even includes some visual features that the Xbox Series S version doesn't have.

Star Wars Outlaws Comparison Image from Nintendo Everything

It really is the existence of the Star Wars Outlaws port that starts to make this idea seem possible. So, let's take a look at how that port is able to bring the open worlds of Outlaws to Switch 2 and still deliver on performance and visual quality. Anytime that we want to dive into the technical underpinnings of a game there is no better place to start than Digital Foundry, the wizards over there always do a great job of diving into a game, or piece of hardware, and coming back with a full analysis of what makes it tick. They covered the Switch 2 port of Star Wars Outlaws in a recent video and had great things to say about the outcome, as well as some insight into how it was done. You can check out that video below.

Resolution and Cutbacks: What to Expect

So, based on what we've seen in these other ports, what could be possible for Grand Theft Auto 6? Compared to the PS5 footage we see in the trailer above we can expect a few things. First, we will definitely see a softer image, the absolute top-end for docked mode would be 1080p and that will likely only be possible thanks to DLSS upscaling from an internal 540p resolution. The Switch 2 would also have lower fidelity in textures, base geometry, shadows, and reflections.

But, much like we see in Star Wars Outlaws, if these reductions are done intelligently they can still present a great gaming experience, just with less sharp visual effects. These changes should also help to reduce the file size of GTA 6, which could be an issue for Switch 2's internal storage and cart sizes. We would definitely be looking at a less visually impressive version of GTA 6, but it seems like it could at least be possible.

If it is possible, would Rockstar even want to release a version of GTA 6 that had to make these concessions?

GTA 6 on Switch 2: Why Do This?

Why would Rockstar do this extra work to bring GTA 6 to Switch 2? The most obvious reason is more sales, Switch 2 has been flying off shelves since it's release and has already sold over 10 million units, putting it ahead of where the original Switch was at this point in it's lifecycle. The chance to sell this game to all of those players, and all the Switch 2 owners still to come, makes a lot of financial sense.

There is also one other aspect to this story that might make it a little more plausible, the Xbox Series S. The fact that GTA 6 will come to the Series S means that Rockstar has already had to build in the capability to scale their engine down to meet the reduced power of Microsoft's junior console offering. This scalability works in Nintendo's favor, as it makes it more likely there could be a way to squeeze the game down in just the right places to also get it working well on the Switch 2.

In the end, Microsoft may deserve some thanks from all the Switch 2 GTA players if we do in fact get a port.

When Will We Know?

A day-one Switch 2 launch isn't likely to happen, Rockstar is already under the gun to deliver the PS5 and Xbox Series versions in May. But we still don't have a release date for GTA 6 on PC, and it's possible we could see a Switch 2 version released around the same time as a PC build. Depending on how much effort the porting process would take, and how much different it would be than the Series S version, it's possible we could see GTA 6 on Switch 2 before the end of 2026.

Or, this could all just be a Vice City pipe dream. We'll have to wait and see.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is coming to Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on May 26, 2025. Keep it locked here at GameMinr.com for all the latest updates as we get closer to launch.