PC gamers might not have to wait much longer to play Grand Theft Auto 6 after all, according to a new report from GamesBeat. A new leak, attributed to four industry sources familiar with developer Rockstar Games’ plans, points toward a PC port for the highly anticipated game happening within the first three months of 2027.
Despite multiple high-profile delays, Grand Theft Auto 6 for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S is still on for a Nov. 19 release.
If the latest reporting is true, the leak is another headache for Rockstar and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive. The hype cycle for GTA 6 has been plagued by controversy, including the revelations that there will be no physical discs and that core features like certain car modifications and clothing shops will be locked behind the $100 “Ultimate edition” of the game.
A deluge of leaks from as far back as 2022 has made GTA 6’s development cycle shockingly transparent. The latest spoilers have been shared by a hacker group known as CyberLeek, which has continued to post new footage (and shill scammy cryptocurrency), despite the best efforts of Take-Two’s legal team.
In spite of the challenges Rockstar has faced in the lead-up to GTA 6’s release, analysts report blockbuster demand for the new game, with projections ranging from $3 billion to $5 billion in revenue during launch week.
A representative for Rockstar Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rockstar’s PC ports usually come out at least one year after the console release date, so an early 2027 release would be a departure from the norm.Rockstar GamesRockstar’s PC ports have always been slow. Why change now?
Rockstar has historically ported its games to PC well after their initial console release. PC gamers waited nearly two years for an official Grand Theft Auto 5 port, and a little more than a year for a Red Dead Redemption 2 port.
Rockstar’s delayed PC ports are often attributed to a host of optimization and debugging challenges, especially because PC gamers run games on more diverse hardware. Some critics argue that the company “double-dips” on sales by creating FOMO and driving PC players to consoles first. When a port is released, the thinking goes, the PC player will buy a second company and bolster Rockstar’s sales.
Either way, there are several reasons why Rockstar might be trying to turn around this particular port more quickly than ever before.
If the development studio is planning to quickly release an online service for GTA 6, that would be a massive revenue driver – the current iteration of GTA Online rakes in more than $1 million each day, and has surpassed $5 billion in revenue over its lifespan.
If a new version of GTA Online is planned for GTA 6, having the wider base of PC players will likely be more profitable in the long term than any “double-dipping” sales practice.
Also, while consoles have always been the most profitable platform for Rockstar’s games, the market is shifting. The RAMageddon chip shortage is pushing hardware prices higher, and home consoles are becoming more expensive – and less accessible.
While these hurdles also affect folks looking to buy an off-the-shelf computer or build their own PC, the market share of PC gamers is growing nonetheless. Newzoo analysts predict that there will be more than 1 billion PC gamers by 2028.
Most PC game spending is focused on microtransactions – so if one were to release a massive live service game with the ability to purchase, say, virtual preloaded debit cards, there’s probably no better time to do so.
Tyler is a writer for CNET covering laptops and video games. He's previously covered mobile devices, home energy products and broadband. He came to CNET straight out of college, where he graduated from Seton Hall with a bachelor's degree in journalism. When Tyler's not asking questions or doing research for his next assignment, you can find him in his home state of New Jersey, kicking back with a bagel and watching an action flick or playing a new video game. You can reach him at [email protected]. See full bio
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