GTA 6 PC release date: when will the next Grand Theft Auto come to Steam?
We’re going to have to be patient for Grand Theft Auto VI on PC
👀 GTA 6 will release on consoles first, as Rockstar prioritizes its core console audience, with a PC release likely following around 12 months after the November 19 console launch
📅 While Rockstar hasn’t confirmed a specific date, past releases and current market trends suggest a PC version is inevitable, given the success of titles like GTA 5
👉 Like other Rockstar titles on PC, GTA 6 will require the Rockstar Games Launcher for account authentication and cloud saves, regardless of where you purchase it
👍 While unconfirmed, it is likely the game will also be available on the Epic Games Store, consistent with Rockstar’s publishing history
PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players will be the first to enjoy the next Grand Theft Auto, but how long will we have to wait for a GTA 6 PC release date?
We know that GTA 6 won’t remain a console exclusive forever, as we’ve seen Grand Theft Auto 4 and Grand Theft Auto 5 come to PC after they were released on console. However, the timings were quite different – it only took seven months for GTA 4 to come to PC, while GTA 5 took around 19 months.
If we look at Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption and its sequel, things get a little more worrying. The first Red Dead Redemption took 14 long years to arrive on PC, while Red Dead Redemption 2 only took just over a year. So where will the GTA 6 PC release date fall?
GTA 6 PC release date prediction
With PC gaming more popular than ever, there’s no doubt that Rockstar and its publisher Take-Two will want to get GTA 6 on as many platforms as possible quickly. Even though Sony has secured the marketing for the latest Grand Theft Auto, with its “plays best on PS5” tagline, that will only be true until a PC version is released.
It’s likely that Sony will have demanded at least a year of timed exclusivity to maximize its agreement, which makes a predicted timeframe of around 12 months from when GTA 6 releases on November 19 a safe estimate for the PC port.
Why isn’t GTA 6 releasing on PC alongside PS5 and Xbox Series X|S?
Traditionally, Rockstar has always released its games on console first, and the same is true of GTA 6. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick even said that console players are the company’s “core” audience.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Zelnick explained, “I think with regard to a release like that you’re judged by serving the core,” implying that the company believes console players are essential to the game’s initial success. He added that if the core consumer isn’t “served first and best, you kind of don’t hit your other consumers”.
Will GTA 6 release on Steam?
Yes, though the game will require the Rockstar launcher that PC players have become accustomed to. You’ll still be able to purchase and play the game through Steam, which includes earning achievements. But Rockstar’s launcher is necessary for account authentication and cloud saves.
Will GTA 6 release on the Epic Games Store?
If you prefer playing games through the Epic Games Store, it’s likely that GTA 6 will also come to the Epic Games Store when it releases on PC, based on Rockstar and Take-Two’s publishing history on the platform. Again, the game will run through the Epic Games Store and include its perks, but will require the Rockstar launcher to be installed.
Up next: GTA 6 pre‑orders are live, but I’m waiting for proof it plays as good as it looks
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.