GTA 6 Might Run At Only 30 FPS

Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), dropping on May 26, 2026, has everyone hyped with its gorgeous open-world trailers set in the fake Florida of Leonida. But there’s a big argument brewing about whether it’ll run at a smooth 60 frames per second (FPS) or be stuck at 30 FPS on consoles like the PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X. This article breaks down the tech issues, Rockstar’s past, what fans are saying, and what might happen down the road.

The GTA 6 frame rate controversy

The big question is whether GTA 6 will hit 60 FPS for that buttery-smooth feel or stay at 30 FPS, which is what Rockstar’s done before. Tech folks who picked apart the second trailer, which was recorded on a regular PS5, say it’s looking like 30 FPS for launch. You might get a few jumps to 40 or 50 FPS, but 60 FPS seems like a stretch without some serious tweaks or fancy tech. This has fans split—60 FPS is kind of the go-to for fast games like GTA where quick reactions matter, but the trailer’s crisp 1080p-to-1440p visuals, bumped up to 4K, show Rockstar’s all about making it look incredible, maybe even if it means a slower frame rate.

What are the problems?

The main problem is the consoles’ CPUs can’t keep up with GTA 6’s demands. The game’s running on Rockstar’s RAGE engine, which is juggling crazy details like realistic clothes, smart NPCs, and ray-traced lighting that makes everything pop. All that stuff is super heavy on the CPU, and the PS5 and Xbox Series X just don’t have the juice to push 60 FPS. Even the PS5 Pro, coming out in November 2024 with a beefier GPU, has the same CPU, so it’s probably stuck at 30 FPS too. A former Rockstar developer who worked on GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 said even hitting a solid 30 FPS is a huge task, and 60 FPS is a long shot. The ray-traced lighting is baked into the game’s look, so turning it off for a faster mode could mess up how it’s supposed to feel.

Will this get fixed later?

Even if 30 FPS is the deal at launch, there’s hope for better down the line. GTA 5 got upgrades to hit 60 FPS on newer systems, so GTA 6 might get similar patches. The PC version, which probably won’t drop with the consoles, could run at 60 FPS or higher if you’ve got a strong setup. The PS5 Pro might make the game look sharper, but it’s not likely to break the 30 FPS barrier because of that CPU issue. New tech, like better upscaling or frame-boosting tricks, could help in the future, but experts warn not to expect miracles right away. Looking further out, a next-gen console or major engine tweaks could let GTA 6 really shine.