It was supposed to be the greatest video game of all time. Yet just days before the release of GTA 6, skepticism is mounting among some players. Only 30 FPS, even on the PS5 Pro, prices of up to 100 euros, and decisions causing discontent. Has Rockstar Games possibly driven its own hype so far that disappointment is now nearly inevitable?
For over 13 years, millions of players have waited for this moment. On November 19, 2026, Grand Theft Auto VI is finally set to launch. Expectations are gigantic, pre-orders are apparently breaking all previous forecasts, and Rockstar Games is facing one of the most important releases in video game history.
Yet right on the home stretch, the euphoria is showing its first cracks.
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What long looked like the perfect gaming blockbuster is now also being critically discussed. And this is not about some absurd internet rumors, but rather very concrete decisions made by Rockstar.
The uncomfortable question is therefore: What actually happens if GTA 6 ends up not being nearly as impressive as millions of players have imagined for years?
Only 30 FPS – and apparently even the PS5 Pro cannot change that
One of the biggest points of criticism was only officially confirmed on November 10.
Rockstar Games announced that GTA 6 is targeting a frame rate of 30 FPS on current consoles. This also applies to the significantly more powerful PlayStation 5 Pro.
A dedicated 60 FPS mode has not been announced so far.
This news is likely to be sobering, especially for owners of the PS5 Pro. After all, Sony’s most powerful console now officially costs 899.99 euros.
And what do buyers get additionally with GTA 6?
According to previous details, primarily improved image sharpness via PSSR and exclusive ray-tracing shadows.
Technically, that is quite interesting. However, anyone who bought the console primarily to experience GTA 6 at a smooth 60 FPS is likely to have hoped for more.
We have already reported on Rockstar’s official 30 FPS announcement and the actual benefits of the PS5 Pro.
However, it remains important to note that Rockstar is explicitly speaking of a performance target. A complete list of all graphics modes is not yet available.
Even so, the disappointment among some players is understandable.
The year is 2026, many players own TVs and monitors with 120 or even 144 Hz, and of all titles, arguably the most important one of this console generation is initially targeting 30 frames per second.
For a game supposedly setting new standards, that is at least debatable.
100 euros for GTA 6 and players still have to compromise
However, the frame rate is not the only point being discussed.
Rockstar is charging 79.99 euros for the Standard Edition of GTA 6 in Germany. Anyone wanting all the additional content of the Ultimate Edition will even pay 99.99 euros.
In exchange, buyers receive special vehicles, weapons, customization options, and additional businesses within the game world, among other things.
These exclusive contents in particular are sparking a fundamental debate: Why are certain possibilities of an already expensive game tied to an even pricier edition?
Of course, no one has to buy the Ultimate Edition. The complete main game is also included in the cheaper version.
We have already examined the differences in detail in our article Buying GTA 6 for 80 or 100 euros – which edition is really worth it?
Still, a certain aftertaste remains.
Rockstar knows exactly how high the demand for GTA 6 is. And the publisher is naturally capitalizing on this enthusiasm commercially as well.
Whether players will actually feel they got sufficient value for their money after release remains to be seen.
Fans are not even getting a proper game disc
Another point causing criticism is the unusual retail version.
Anyone buying GTA 6 as a packaged PS5 version does not get a classic game disc. Instead, the case contains only a download code.
This eliminates the possibility of simply reselling a disc after finishing the game or lending it to friends, for example.
Added to that is the enormous storage requirement.
Sony lists around 212 GB for the pre-load. Initial images of the German packaging even state at least 230 GB of free storage space.
We had also reported on the unusual GTA 6 packaging and the storage requirements.
For collectors and players who like to physically own their games, this is a bitter pill to swallow.
And this creates a rather interesting situation.
GTA 6 costs up to 100 euros, features no announced 60 FPS mode on consoles so far, and dispenses with a real disc for the physical retail version.
Any of these points on its own would probably not be a huge drama.
Taken together, however, they provide plenty of fuel for discussion.
Could GTA 6 fail to live up to its own expectations?
Herein lies potentially Rockstar’s actual problem.
GTA 6 does not simply have to be a good video game. After more than a decade of waiting, many fans expect practically a revolution.
A huge open game world, nearly flawless graphics, believable characters, countless activities, and technical capabilities that make other games look outdated.
But what happens if GTA 6 ends up simply being a very good open-world game?
If the graphics impress and the story entertains, but the big wow factor fails to materialize?
If the game world, despite all improvements, doesn’t feel nearly as revolutionary as years of speculation suggested?
That is precisely where the danger lies.
Rockstar created enormous expectations with GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. At the same time, the competition has by no means stood still technically and gameplay-wise.
This does not mean GTA 6 will be bad.
But it does mean Rockstar is now being measured against a standard that perhaps no developer can completely fulfill.
And even an outstanding game could therefore turn out to be a disappointment for a portion of the community.
A second Cyberpunk 2077? It is not quite that simple
Discussions about exaggerated expectations frequently bring up the name Cyberpunk 2077.
That game, too, was celebrated prior to its release as an upcoming milestone. Its problematic console launch subsequently caused massive criticism.
Today, Cyberpunk 2077 is a vastly improved and successful game. The botched launch back then is nevertheless remembered.
Naturally, this situation cannot simply be transferred to GTA 6.
There is currently no reliable evidence that Rockstar is facing a comparable technical disaster.
On the contrary: development is complete and the pre-load is already underway.
Still, the past shows that even massive hype is no guarantee for a smooth sales launch.
Especially a giant open game world with dense traffic, numerous characters, and complex systems places enormous demands on the technology.
Whether GTA 6 actually meets these expectations can only be judged by independent reviews and the players themselves.
A financial flop? The numbers tell a different story
Despite all the criticism, one must also look at the other side.
Take-Two recently confirmed that pre-orders for GTA 6 are significantly above initial expectations.
Interest therefore remains gigantic.
A commercial flop consequently appears extremely unlikely at this point in time.
Yet high sales figures do not automatically mean that all buyers will be satisfied.
A game can sell millions of copies and still leave disappointed fans in its wake.
Precisely that could become the decisive point for GTA 6.
Not the question of whether Rockstar makes enough money, but whether the years of waiting truly paid off for the players.
Perhaps GTA 6 will be the biggest disappointment, despite being a good game
In the end, Rockstar’s biggest threat might turn out to be its own success.
The higher the expectations, the harder it becomes to fulfill them completely.
GTA 6 will undoubtedly receive massive attention. The technical presentation is likely to be impressive, and simply returning to Vice City fills millions of fans with anticipation.
Yet worlds sometimes lie between a successful video game and a true masterpiece.
Discussions about 30 FPS, high prices, and the missing disc show even before release that by no means every player embraces all of Rockstar’s decisions enthusiastically.
That does not make GTA 6 a bad game by any stretch.
But perhaps the notion that this title must inevitably surpass all previous games has itself become the biggest problem.
GTA 6 could become one of the most successful games of all time and still be the biggest gaming disappointment of the year for some players.
Whether that actually happens, we will only know after the release on November 19.
Until then, a question remains that probably very few would have seriously asked a few years ago:
Will GTA 6 truly be the hoped-for masterpiece, or is the hype now bigger than the game itself?
What do you think? Are 30 FPS and the high prices a problem for you, or do you not care at all when it comes to GTA 6?
