The GTA 6 PS5 Pro Dilemma: A Beautiful World at 30fps?
The PS5 Pro is official, promising a significant leap in power for gamers. But for those dreaming of a buttery-smooth 60fps experience in the sprawling, chaotic world of Grand Theft Auto VI, a leading tech expert has a sobering prediction: don’t hold your breath.
According to Richard Leadbetter, Technology Editor at the renowned Digital Foundry, GTA 6 is likely to remain locked at 30 frames-per-second even on the new, more powerful hardware. The reason? It’s not about the graphics—it’s about the brain.
The CPU Bottleneck: Why More Power Isn’t Always the Answer
The PS5 Pro’s major upgrades are primarily in its GPU (the graphics processing unit), which is fantastic for rendering higher-resolution textures, better lighting, and more stable ray tracing. However, the console’s CPU (the central processing unit) remains largely the same as the base PS5.
And for a game like GTA 6, the CPU is the star of the show.
As Leadbetter explains, “Grand Theft Auto games have always run complex simulations that push the CPU hard.” He points out that every mainline GTA has launched targeting 30fps on its initial platforms. What does this “complex simulation” include?
- The intricate AI of hundreds of pedestrians and drivers.
- The dense traffic and police response systems.
- The real-time physics of the open world.
- The behind-the-scenes logic that makes Vice City feel like a living, breathing place.
Doubling the frame rate to 60fps would require the CPU to process all of this twice as fast, a task that the Pro’s similar processor may simply not be capable of handling. This is a CPU problem, and the Pro doesn’t bring a CPU solution.
So, What Will the PS5 Pro Actually Improve?
This doesn’t mean the PS5 Pro version will be pointless. If you’re a player who prizes visual splendor above all else, the Pro is still your machine.
Leadbetter predicts we’ll get “higher quality visuals” running at a similar frame rate. This could translate to:
- A Native 4K Resolution: A sharper, cleaner image without relying as heavily on upscaling.
- Enhanced Ray Tracing: More realistic reflections and lighting throughout Vice City’s neon-drenched streets.
- Improved Draw Distances: Seeing further into the horizon with more detail.
- Denser Crowds & Vegetation: Making the world feel even more alive and immersive.
The good news? That stunning trailer we all watched was likely captured on a base PS5 or Xbox Series X, meaning the game is already built to look incredible on current hardware. The Pro will just push that visual fidelity to its absolute limit.
The Bottom Line: A Trade-Off Between Fluidity and Fidelity
Rockstar Games has always prioritized a rich, immersive, and stable world over high frame rates. It seems this philosophy will continue with GTA 6.
The choice for players may become clear:
- Want the most visually stunning, cinematic version of Vice City? The PS5 Pro will likely be the way to go.
- Craving the smoother, more responsive feel of 60fps? You might be out of luck, at least at launch.
While Rockstar has yet to confirm its final performance targets, the evidence and expert analysis suggest we should brace for a breathtakingly beautiful world that moves at a deliberate, cinematic pace. The heart of Vice City might just beat at 30 frames per second.