Should You Buy A PS5 Pro Just To Play GTA 6?

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As more technical details about "Grand Theft Auto VI" have surfaced in the months leading to the game's November release, one launch platform quickly stood out as the best way to play it. The one console that you'll want to own for "Grand Theft Auto VI" is the PlayStation 5 Pro, due to its impressive hardware capabilities. Like several titles for the premium version of Sony's latest home console, "GTA 6" is optimized and enhanced for the PS5 Pro. At the same time, the game is also primed to run on both the base version of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X|S.

For those who don't already own a PS5 Pro, the question then becomes if hardcore "GTA" fans should consider shelling out for the premium console. After all, "GTA VI" is easily one of the most anticipated games of 2026 and the first new title in the series since 2013. With its release quickly shaping up to be the gaming event of the year, do fans pony up hundreds of dollars for the most optimized platform to experience the game? While the answer to this question is subjective to everyone, we're taking a look at both sides of that expensive argument. Let's begin the debate.

To confirm, Sony has cited in its listing for the game that "Grand Theft Auto VI" will indeed be enhanced for the PlayStation 5 Pro. As compared to other games already enhanced for the Pro, that will mean greater draw distances, improved textures, higher resolution, and more consistent frame rates. In sum, of all the platforms where the game will be available at its launch, this is the best way to play the game. If "Grand Theft Auto" means that much to you, accept no substitutes, because the Pro provides the ultimate gaming experience for "GTA VI."

And at the end of the day, if you get a PS5 Pro for "GTA VI," that still means you'll have the beefy console at your disposal beyond just using it as a "GTA" machine. If you don't already own a PlayStation 5 at all, take the leap and pay that premium price for the superior hardware. The PS5 Pro is the pinnacle of the PS5 era and there are loads of games that offer an enhanced performance on the premium platform. "GTA VI" just provides more of an excuse to finally get that PS5 Pro and enjoy its benefits across many other titles.

But there are also several cogent reasons to refrain from purchasing a PS5 Pro, particularly just to play "GTA VI."

Of course, the PlayStation 5 comes with a significant price tag, and that was there before the market was hit with shortages of the already hefty console variant. The PS5 Pro had fans up in arms when it launched in 2024, carrying a retail price of $700. However, due to limited qualities of the premium console being available these days, the PS5 Pro regularly sells for over $1,300 on the secondhand market. That's quite the cost to shell out for a gaming device, and a very big ask for anyone — especially just to play a single game in this economy.

The PS5 Pro may not even be the best way to play "Grand Theft Auto VI" for all that long beyond the game's launch either. The "GTA 6" PC timeline has recently received a promising update, so long as the reports are to be believed. Rather than having to wait a full year for a PC port of the game, reports indicate that "GTA VI" is coming to PCs in the first quarter of 2027. Depending on what kind of PC you're running, you may already have hardware capabilities roughly on par with the PS5 Pro without having to buy a new console.

In sum, the Pro is the best console in a vacuum, but nobody lives in one of those. Whether you get a PS5 Pro, specifically for "GTA VI" or otherwise, is your call, but be prepared to pay big bucks if you decide you want the premium experience available at launch.