GTA 6 Won’t Be On PC Day One Due To Optimization Reasons, It’s Claimed

Following its latest delay, GTA 6 is set to launch on the PS5 and Xbox Series S|X on November 19, 2026. Much to everyone’s disappointment, Rockstar Games is set to repeat its tradition of skipping PC releases for new titles, leaving fans with no option but to patiently wait for, if history is any indication, a whole year before GTA 6 hits PC.

There has been plenty of speculation as to why Rockstar Games continues to pursue console-only releases for its biggest titles for quite some time now. While many previously believed the studio’s strategy was to force gamers to double-dip on its releases, it seems this is far from the truth.

As per sources, the developer skips major PC releases simply due to optimization reasons.

This information comes from Kiwi Talkz, a key internet personality with access to Rockstar Games developers. He suggests that the team lacks the bandwidth to cater to all platforms at once. This statement is also interesting since the studio currently employs over 6,000 developers.

Kiwi Talkz states that optimizing for PC is quite different compared to the fixed hardware of consoles. Because there are hundreds of potential CPU/GPU combinations on the PC platform, optimization for this platform can be quite time-consuming and resource-intensive, even for a studio like Rockstar Games.

It’s due to optimization, the reason Rockstar Games don’t release their games’ day 1 on PC is because they don’t have the bandwidth to do it. -Kiwi Talkz

In a separate reply, Kiwi Talkz also referred to Rockstar Games as ‘perfectionists.’ He highlights that this sentiment is echoed throughout the studio, and even former employees suggest that this is the case.

Anyhow, this means that GTA 6, like its predecessor, will not be available to play on PC anytime soon. At the earliest, the game is expected to launch on the platform by late 2027, but Rockstar Games’ tendency to focus on optimization could push the game further back.

PC gamers looking to jump into GTA 6 in 2026 must, therefore, consider switching to consoles for the day-one experience.