If you’re still gaming on a PlayStation 4 and have been counting down the days to GTA 6, you’re not alone. Millions of players haven’t upgraded to PS5 yet, whether for budget reasons, lack of stock, or satisfaction with their current console, and the most common question floating around gaming forums right now is when will gta 6 come out for ps4. This post breaks down all official updates, hardware context, and realistic expectations so you don’t waste time waiting for a release that might never happen. We’ll also cover alternative options if you only have access to a PS4 right now.
Official Updates on When Will GTA 6 Come Out for PS4
Rockstar Games first confirmed GTA 6 was in development back in 2022, and dropped the first official trailer in December 2023 to massive fanfare. If you watched that trailer closely, you might have caught the fine print at the end listing launch platforms. Rockstar’s initial 2023 GTA 6 announcement only listed PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC as target platforms. The game is scheduled for a 2025 launch on those three platforms, with no exact release date shared as of yet.
Since that initial announcement, Rockstar has put out three additional small updates about development progress, and no mention of PS4 or Xbox One support has been included in any official press release to date. I’ve seen dozens of fake social media posts claiming a PS4 port is confirmed for next year, but none of them have come from verified sources. Even major gaming news outlets that cover Rockstar closely have not received any off-the-record hints about a last-gen port in the works.
Rockstar has a history of supporting last-gen consoles for big releases, but that context is important to look at too. For example, GTA 5 launched on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013, then got a PS4 and Xbox One port a year later, and a PC port another year after that. But the market for last-gen consoles was way bigger back then, which we’ll get into in the next section.
Why a PS4 Port of GTA 6 Is Unlikely to Launch With the Base Game
The biggest barrier to a GTA 6 PS4 release is the console’s outdated hardware. The PS4 launched all the way back in 2013, and even the upgraded PS4 Pro model can’t compete with the raw power of the PS5. The PS4’s hardware is 11 years old as of 2024, and cannot support the advanced features Rockstar has teased for GTA 6. We’re talking about a map twice the size of GTA 5’s Los Santos, dynamic weather that affects everything from driving physics to NPC behavior, fully destructible environments, and hundreds of interactive NPCs on screen at the same time.
If you’ve been searching for answers about when will gta 6 come out for ps4, these hardware limitations are the biggest reason you haven’t seen an official confirmation yet. There are three core limitations that make a PS4 port impractical at launch:
- Insufficient memory to support GTA 6’s larger open world, high-resolution textures, and simultaneous NPC simulation. The PS4 only has 8GB of shared GDDR5 memory, half of which is often reserved for system functions, leaving very little for the game itself.
- Outdated CPU that cannot handle the game’s dynamic event system, advanced physics, and real-time weather changes without major downgrades. Even PS4 Pro’s CPU is only a minor upgrade over the base model, and would struggle to run GTA 6 at a stable 30 FPS, let alone the 60 FPS target for the PS5 version.
- Low expected return on investment for Rockstar, as less than 20% of active PlayStation users still rely solely on PS4 as of 2024. Developing a port for an older console costs tens of millions of dollars and adds months of development time, and Rockstar would likely not make that money back from such a small player base.
On top of that, Rockstar has already stated that they are prioritizing the next-gen version of GTA 6 to deliver the best possible experience. They don’t want to be limited by old hardware when designing core game features, which makes sense for a title that’s been in development for over 8 years.
Is There Any Chance GTA 6 Will Come to PS4 Later?
While a launch window PS4 port is basically off the table, there is a tiny chance Rockstar could release a port a few years after the initial launch, similar to what they did with GTA 5. But that scenario is extremely unlikely for a few key reasons.
First, the player base for PS4 is only going to shrink between now and 2025, and even more in the years after GTA 6 launches. By 2027, when a hypothetical PS4 port would come out, less than 10% of PlayStation users will still be on PS4, making the ROI even worse than it is now. A downgraded PS4 port of GTA 6 would require cutting core features that define the game’s next-gen experience, which would lead to backlash from players who expect the same GTA 6 experience they’ve seen in trailers.
For example, a PS4 port would likely have drastically reduced draw distance, lower quality textures, no dynamic weather, fewer NPCs on screen, and longer load times. That’s not the GTA 6 experience Rockstar is marketing, and they don’t want to damage their brand reputation by releasing a subpar version of their biggest game ever. If you’re still holding out hope for an answer to when will gta 6 come out for ps4, it’s important to keep your expectations realistic.
If a PS4 port does ever get announced, it will likely be a budget digital-only release with a lower price point than the next-gen version. But even then, we’d put the odds of this happening at less than 10% based on current market data and Rockstar’s public statements. Don’t hold your breath waiting for it.
What PS4 Players Can Do While Waiting for GTA 6 Updates
Just because a PS4 port of GTA 6 is unlikely doesn’t mean you have no options if you don’t want to upgrade right now. There are a few steps you can take to prepare, or find similar experiences on your existing console.
First, Always verify GTA 6 release news through official Rockstar channels to avoid falling for fake leaks. Stick to Rockstar’s Newswire page, their verified X (Twitter) account, or official PlayStation announcements. Any post claiming a PS4 port is confirmed that doesn’t link to an official source is fake, plain and simple.
If you want to play GTA 6 when it comes out and don’t want to wait for a hypothetical port, start budgeting for a PS5 upgrade now. PS5 Slim or used PS5 units are far more affordable now than they were at launch, making the upgrade a viable option for many players. You can often find used PS5 discs for less than $40, and the console backwards compatibility means you can still play all your existing PS4 games on it too.
If upgrading isn’t an option right now, there are tons of great open-world games you can play on PS4 to hold you over. Red Dead Redemption 2, also from Rockstar, has a massive open world and deep story that will keep you occupied for hundreds of hours. Cyberpunk 2077’s latest PS4 patch fixes most of the launch bugs and delivers a solid open-world experience, and Watch Dogs Legion has fun hacking mechanics and a huge open London to explore. You can also keep playing GTA Online, which still gets regular content updates from Rockstar.
At the end of the day, there is no official answer to when will gta 6 come out for ps4, and all signs point to it never getting a release. Rockstar is focused on delivering the best possible next-gen experience for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC players, and the PS4’s outdated hardware just can’t support that vision. If you’re dead set on playing GTA 6 when it launches, your best bet is to start planning a PS5 upgrade, or save up for a PC build that can run the game. If upgrading isn’t in the cards for you right now, there are plenty of great games to enjoy on your PS4 while you wait for more official updates.
