Despite its CPU limitations, Grand Theft Auto 6 should still benefit from the PS5 Pro's added hardware and capabilities.
The conversations surrounding the PlayStation 5 Pro have shifted. After being heralded by many as the go-to platform for Grand Theft Auto 6, there are increasing doubts regarding its capabilities, particularly the PS5 Pro's ability to maintain high frame rates in a CPU-intensive game like GTA 6.
Despite introducing features like "PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution", experts at Digital Foundry have advised keeping expectations about the console's performance in GTA 6 in check.
According to an in-depth analysis by the company's founder, Rich Leadbetter, the PS5 Pro comes with a similar CPU to the base PS5 model, albeit with an enhancement that allows for a 10% performance boost. This suggests that, for today's games that are currently targeting 30fps because of CPU performance limitations, achieving 60fps on the PS5 Pro may not happen.
Despite the PS5 Pro's enhanced GPU power, which stands at up to 33.5 teraflops (three times higher compared to the PS5's 10.28 teraflops) the similarity in CPU specs between the two consoles indicates that achieving a higher frame rate for CPU-limited games is difficult, if not impossible, absent of specific optimization efforts from developers like Rockstar.
Nevertheless, the PS5 Pro should still be capable of offering a superior experience with its improved rendering capabilities, enhanced ray tracing, and the potential to upscale games to 4K resolution using Sony's proprietary upscaling technology.
This combination of features could result in a visually superior experience for GTA 6 on the PS5 Pro compared to the base PS5, even with minimal frame rate improvements. Additionally, the PS5 Pro's increased system RAM may offer developers more flexibility in game design and performance optimization, further enhancing the overall gaming experience.
Furthermore, while achieving 60fps is ideal, a stable 30fps can still provide a satisfactory gaming experience, particularly if it means Rockstar won't have to compromise game mechanics, physics, and graphical fidelity. Most would prefer to play GTA 6 at 30fps so long as it allows Rockstar to preserve its ambitious scope and avoid sacrificing key gameplay elements, all for the pursuit of higher frame rates.
It can be argued that a game like GTA 6 doesn't need to be played at higher frame rates to be enjoyed. As long as it can run at 30fps smoothly with virtually zero dips in frame rates, most would prefer to enjoy it on PS5 Pro.
Unfortunately, while all of this talk is exciting, it won't make GTA 6 come out any sooner.
As per Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar is taking its time perfecting the game and this may result in a slight delay. But the fact that Rockstar is calling all employees to hunker down inside the offices for the foreseeable future does suggest that the game is in its final stages of development.
