When Could GTA 6 Come To PC? Rockstar's Release History Gives Us A Possible Window

After keeping their fingers crossed for a day-and-date PC release alongside the console versions, PC players were left disappointed when it was confirmed that "Grand Theft Auto 6" will in fact initially launch as a console exclusive. At this time, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series are the only platforms, console or otherwise, that have been confirmed for "GTA 6." Sure, everyone assumes a PC port is eventually coming, but full disclosure, Rockstar has yet to formally announce that fact. So don't expect "GTA 6" to come to PC anytime especially soon.

In speculating when it could happen, all we can do for now is look at Rockstar's recent history with releasing games for PC and console. On the "GTA" side, "GTA 4" saw only eight months between the console and PC versions, while PC players had to wait 17 months for "GTA 5" to come to PC after it launched for consoles. As for Rockstar's most recent new game, the record-breaking "Red Dead Redemption 2," the difference between console and PC versions was 13 months. (We don't speak of the ridiculous 14-year wait for the original "Red Dead Redemption" to come to PC.)

Given that history, it seems easy enough to presume that "GTA 6" will come to PC no sooner than a year after November 19, 2026, but most likely under two years from that date. Hedging our bets, we predict spring 2028 to be when to expect the PC version of "GTA 6."

While Rockstar might be keeping mum about a PC version of "GTA 6," it was parent company Take-Two who first broke the silence over the game's delay in coming to PC. In an interview, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that although he expects the eventual lifetime sales of "GTA 6" to be split close to evenly between the console and PC versions, he surmised that Rockstar wouldn't want to risk rushing an inferior PC port to market. Reading between the lines, Rockstar probably wants to make sure "GTA 6" for PC is good and ready before it is released rather than face a massive backlash from PC gamers if the PC version of the game launches with major bugs and other issues.

History seems to support this assertion. The last time Rockstar did a simultaneous PC and console release for a "GTA" game — or any game, for that matter — was the collection "Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Definitive Edition." While it was a troubled launch for all platforms, the PC version was especially disastrous, with a launcher that went down for over 24 hours and Rockstar subsequently removing it from sale entirely for three days.

Even after subsequent patches and improvements, the PC version of "GTA: Trilogy" still holds a pathetic 0.6 user score on Metacritic. The whole mess certainly reaffirmed Rockstar's usual approach of taking its time to properly optimizing its games for PC first rather than trying to launch on all platforms at once and risk seeing a game's reputation plummet to unsalvageable depths.