Grand Theft Auto 6 On Nintendo Switch 2: New Leak Claims Rockstar Is 'Doing Tests' For Port

Grand Theft Auto 6 on Nintendo's next console used to sound like wishful thinking. Now, a trusted insider claims Rockstar Games has actually been testing the blockbuster game on Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, raising the tantalising prospect that the series' most ambitious entry yet could eventually go portable.

Grand Theft Auto 6' Coming to the Switch 2?

Well-regarded leaker Nate the Hate, known for reliable industry scoops, recently said on X that Rockstar has 'made an effort' to see if Grand Theft Auto 6 can run on Nintendo's upcoming system.

In his post, he explained that the studio has been 'doing tests to bring it to Switch 2', suggesting internal trials are underway on development hardware.

Crucially, though, he stressed that 'tests don't always equal release', making it clear this is about exploring feasibility rather than confirming a port is in active development.

According to Nate, Rockstar's work so far is best understood as an investigation into whether Grand Theft Auto 6 is technically possible on Nintendo Switch 2.

He emphasised that 'experimenting doesn't equal "in development" & companies often test to see if a game is possible on hardware', underlining that this kind of testing is a standard step for major studios assessing new platforms.

So, while the idea of a GTA 6 Switch 2 edition sounds exciting, fans should be careful not to mistake early benchmarking for a guarantee that the game will ship on Nintendo's console.

How 'Grand Theft Auto 6' Pushes PS5 And Xbox Before Switch 2

Part of the uncertainty around Grand Theft Auto 6 on Switch 2 comes from just how demanding the game appears to be on existing high-end hardware.

So far, Rockstar has shown only limited footage of the game in action, but the two trailers released to date strongly suggest that it will target 30 FPS on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

That frame-rate target alone hints that the studio is pushing current-generation consoles close to their limits with its technology and scale.

Reports describe Grand Theft Auto 6 as so ambitious that it could remain unmatched by other titles for decades, thanks to its advanced simulation systems, dense open world and heavy use of ray tracing.

Those features are expected to be particularly taxing on the consoles' comparatively weak CPUs, which already have to juggle AI, physics, streaming and complex crowd behaviour.

Against that backdrop, the outlook for a Nintendo Switch 2 port looks challenging, as any handheld-capable device would need to balance power, cooling and battery life far more carefully than a home console.

Why 'Grand Theft Auto 6' On Switch 2 Is Difficult But Not Impossible

Even so, the Nintendo Switch 2 is not as underpowered as some might assume, and several hardware advantages could work in Rockstar's favour if it chooses to pursue a port.

The system is reportedly equipped with more available RAM than the Xbox Series S, which would be a significant asset when attempting to port over the Xbox Series S version of Grand Theft Auto 6.

More memory offers extra room for world data, textures and simulation, even if other visual compromises are required to keep performance in line.

Most importantly, Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to support Nvidia's DLSS technology, a form of advanced upscaling that has already helped demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Street Fighter 6 deliver strong experiences on PC.

DLSS could allow Grand Theft Auto 6 to render internally at a lower resolution while still outputting a sharp image on TVs and handheld screens.

Combined with careful optimisation and trimmed settings, that might turn what looks like an impossible task into a tough but achievable technical showcase for the new system.

What The 'Grand Theft Auto 6' Tests Really Mean For Fans

The latest leak paints a nuanced picture of Grand Theft Auto 6 on Nintendo Switch 2: exciting, but distant and far from guaranteed.

NateTheHate's 17 November post on X stated that Rockstar has indeed been testing GTA 6 on the new Nintendo hardware and that 'an effort has been made to see if they can bring it to the platform'.

At the same time, he was careful to clarify that the game is 'not currently in development for the Switch 2', and that these trials are exploratory rather than a commitment.

For players, that means a GTA 6 Switch 2 edition, if it ever happens, is likely years away from materialising. Even if Rockstar decides that a port is feasible, it would almost certainly follow well after the game's initial release on PlayStation and Xbox.

The insider is not saying Grand Theft Auto 6 is coming to Switch 2; he is simply revealing that Rockstar has conducted tests to explore the possibility of it being a future option.

For many fans, though, the fact that the studio is even considering a Nintendo version of such a gigantic AAA game is exciting in itself.

Why 'Grand Theft Auto 6' On Switch 2 Is Still A Long Shot

All this considered, expectations around Grand Theft Auto 6 on Nintendo Switch 2 need to stay realistic.

The complexity of modern open-world games, combined with what already appears to be a strained performance profile on current-generation consoles, means that any Switch 2 port would be an enormous technical challenge.

Engineers would have to rethink everything from draw distances and crowd density to reflections and physics to make the game run at an acceptable frame rate on more modest hardware.

It is also important to remember that Nintendo is probably a secondary concern for Rockstar until Grand Theft Auto 6 has actually launched and settled on its lead platforms.

The game has already been delayed multiple times, which only increases the pressure to deliver a polished experience on PlayStation and Xbox first.

In that context, talk of a Nintendo version remains speculative, and it is probably too early for players to pin their hopes on seeing Vice City on Switch 2 any time soon.

How 'Grand Theft Auto 6' On Switch 2 Could Still Happen One Day

That does not mean the dream is dead, however. If Grand Theft Auto 6 proves as successful as expected, a late-arriving Switch 2 port could give Rockstar a fresh surge of sales years into the game's lifecycle, tapping into a different audience that prefers hybrid or handheld play.

With more RAM than the Xbox Series S and DLSS available as a powerful optimisation tool, Nintendo's new machine has more going for it than many sceptics first assumed.

If the tests that Nate has described show promising results, Rockstar could eventually decide that the engineering effort is worth the potential reward.

For now, though, the only solid takeaway is that Grand Theft Auto 6 has at least been fired up on Switch 2 development hardware, and someone inside the company has been asking the question: 'Can we make this work?' Until there is an official announcement, fans should treat that as an intriguing hint rather than a promise.