GTA 6 is unlikely to offer a stable 60fps mode even on the PS5 Pro, despite it being the most powerful console of the current generation.

A technical analysis by Digital Foundry suggests that the game’s large open world, advanced simulation systems, ray-tracing effects and detailed environments could place heavy demands on the console’s processor.

As a result, GTA 6 is considered more likely to run at 30fps or possibly 40fps on PS5 Pro rather than maintain 60fps.

Heavy CPU Demands

The main limitation is expected to be the game’s CPU requirements.

GTA 6 takes place in Leonida, Rockstar’s version of Florida, with Vice City serving as its main urban area.

The second trailer and recent screenshots show dense environments, large crowds, detailed vehicles, and extensive world simulation.

Games with demanding simulation systems often struggle to maintain high frame rates in busy locations. Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3 have shown how dense areas can put pressure on console processors.

GTA 6 could be more demanding because players will be able to travel quickly by land, sea and air. Vehicles will also require complex physics calculations, adding further strain to the hardware.

These factors could make a stable 60fps target difficult on current consoles.

PS5 Pro May Still Be Limited

The PS5 Pro has more graphics power than the standard PS5 and includes improved ray-tracing hardware and PSSR upscaling.

However, its CPU only provides a limited performance increase over the base PS5.

Better graphics hardware can improve resolution, image quality and rendering performance, but it cannot fully solve CPU limitations caused by physics, world simulation and background systems.

A 30fps or 40fps mode therefore appears more likely than a stable 60fps option.

A 40fps Mode Could Be Possible

A 40fps mode could provide a middle ground between 30fps and 60fps.

At 40fps, each frame takes 25 milliseconds to render. That sits halfway between the 33.3ms frame time of 30fps and the 16.7ms frame time of 60fps.

However, 40fps does not divide evenly into the refresh rate of a standard 60Hz display.

Games normally offer this option only when connected to a television or monitor with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Rockstar could provide a 40fps mode for users with compatible screens while retaining a 30fps option for other players.

Rockstar Usually Chooses 30fps

Rockstar has traditionally prioritised graphics and simulation quality over higher frame rates on consoles.

GTA 4, GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 all launched with 30fps targets on their original console releases. Some also dropped that target below during demanding scenes.

Rockstar later introduced 60fps modes for upgraded versions of GTA 5 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

However, those versions arrived after the game had originally launched on older consoles.

For GTA 6 to reach 60fps at launch, Rockstar would likely have needed to build its simulation systems around that target from the beginning.

It would also become the first Rockstar open-world game designed to target 60fps on consoles at launch.

Retailer Listings Prove Little

Some retailer listings have suggested that GTA 6 could include separate quality and performance modes.

However, these descriptions do not confirm that the performance mode will run at 60fps.

Retailers may be using standard descriptions commonly attached to modern console games rather than information confirmed by Rockstar.

A performance mode could target 40fps instead. It could also reduce graphics settings to maintain a more consistent 30fps.

A quality mode could use higher visual settings while occasionally falling below 30fps in demanding scenes.

Performance Remains Unconfirmed

The second trailer, pre-order screenshots and other footage show a level of detail that could be difficult to maintain at 60fps on current consoles.

Xbox Series X may face similar CPU limitations, while Xbox Series S could have greater difficulty because of its weaker hardware.

Rockstar has not announced GTA 6’s frame-rate targets or available graphics modes.

Until the company provides technical details, predictions about the game’s performance remain speculation.

Based on Rockstar’s previous console releases and the apparent demands of GTA 6, a stable 60fps mode on PS5 Pro appears unlikely.