Why a Switch Pro would be the perfect solution to corroborated GTA 6 rumors

We're going to be waiting for GTA 6 for a while, but here's why a Nintendo Switch Pro would offer the perfect solution

GTA 6 Nintendo Switch Pro
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

This week I reported on two prominent GTA 6 rumors that have recently broken cover. The first was that the next Grand Theft Auto game has been tipped to be coming out as late as 2025, which right now is four years away.

While the second GTA 6 rumor I wrote about was that it looks set to sport an evolving, seasonal open world that has been likened to that of free-to-play Battle Royale shooter Fortnite.

Both these rumors stemmed from a YouTube video produced by serial gaming tipster Tom Henderson, who stated that he had heard "rumblings" about these things through his insider sources.

At the time of reporting those rumors were purely based on "rumblings" that one man had heard, but now both those rumors have been corroborated by respected video game journalist and insider Jason Schreier, who directly stated that "everything Tom Henderson has said about the game matches up with what I've heard." As such, it really does now look that GTA 6 isn't coming out until 2025.

Then, mere days after that GTA 6 leak broke, president of Nintendo, Shuntaro Furukawa, finally addressed the long-running hype surrounding the console the media has dubbed the "Nintendo Switch Pro". When asked what his thoughts are regarding the reports of a new, next-gen Switch console, Furukawa said that:

"We are constantly developing hardware, software, dedicated peripherals, etc., but we refrain from making comments on specific products still in development."

So, far from confirmation that the console exists, as has been widely reported (including by T3 multiple times), a very much stone-wall rebuff from a practiced spokesperson. However, Furukawa also didn't shoot down the Switch Pro rumors, either. And it only takes a little bit of research to see that is because the Switch Pro console is coming and will either launch this winter holiday season or early into 2022.

And, that got me thinking. If we aren't getting GTA 6 until 2025, then a great way to tide gamers over in terms of their GTA fix would be to finally bring the series to the Nintendo Switch platform. Up until now GTA V and GTA Online hasn't been ported to the Nintendo Switch console, and the rumored reasons for that is the console's lack of graphical grunt as well as the storage limitations of Nintendo Switch game carts.

If the rumors about the Nintendo Switch Pro are true, though, then that console would not suffer from either of these problems, as it is slated to come with orders of magnitude more powerful hardware capable of displaying games at a 4K resolution in docked mode. And, while I don't think GTA 6 will likely arrive on Switch Pro when the game launches, I see no reason why GTA V and GTA Online can't get ported over.

Porting over GTA Online specifically to the Nintendo Switch Pro would also, in my mind at least, help convince more hardcore adult gamers to consider the Switch Pro as a console to buy, either as their primary or secondary console. I for one really like the idea of playing GTA while on the go and, specifically if Rockstar drip more content out for the online game, it would naturally lead people up to the launch of GTA 6, which is almost certainly being designed with PS5 and Xbox Series X in mind.

What's really interesting, though, is that while if you were to put a gun against my head and say will GTA 6 come out on Switch Pro then I'd say no, but if you asked me the same question about the Xbox Series S, I'd lean more towards yes instead. And, while the Series S is a great console, the Switch Pro looks like it could get seriously close to it in terms of performance thanks to Nvidia's remarkable DLSS technology, so who knows.

Robert Jones

Rob has been writing about computing, gaming, mobile, home entertainment technology, toys (specifically Lego and board games), smart home and more for over 15 years. As the editor of PC Gamer, and former Deputy Editor for T3.com, you can find Rob's work in magazines, bookazines and online, as well as on podcasts and videos, too. Outside of his work Rob is passionate about motorbikes, skiing/snowboarding and team sports, with football and cricket his two favourites.