Former Rockstar Developer Says a GTA 6 Switch 2 Port "Doesn't Make Sense," But a Smartphone Version Could Happen
GTA 6 is less than two months from launch, and the platform debate that's been simmering for over a year just got a new voice — and it's not the one fans expected. Jérémy Hartvick, a former Rockstar open-world designer who worked on GTA 6 from 2017 through 2020, just told the YouTube channel Kiwi Talkz that a Nintendo Switch 2 port "doesn't make sense." At the same time, he left the door open for something a lot of people aren't expecting: GTA 6 on your phone.
Here's what he actually said, why it matters, and why the "GTA fans don't buy Nintendo consoles" argument isn't quite as airtight as it sounds.
Table of Contents
- What Hartvick Actually Said
- The Audience Argument, and Why It's Debatable
- The Real Obstacle: Switch 2 Hardware vs. GTA 6's Simulation
- Could GTA 6 Really Run on a Smartphone?
- Where GTA 6 Actually Stands on Every Platform Right Now
- FAQ
- Bottom Line
What Hartvick Actually Said
Speaking in a members-only interview with Kiwi Talkz (Reece Reilly), Hartvick was asked directly about the long-running rumor that Rockstar has been testing GTA 6 on Switch 2 hardware. His answer wasn't a flat denial — it was a business argument.
"I don't believe it even makes sense, because I'm not sure the audience for GTA 6 is so much the audience for the Switch. If you're a GTA fan, you would probably buy a console on which GTA will come out," he said. He followed that up with the sharper version of the same point: "Does it make sense for you to go out of your way to probably deliver a subpar experience, because it does not run exactly the same, when you know anyone will buy a PS5 to get your game? No."
In other words, his skepticism isn't really about whether a Switch 2 port is technically possible — it's about whether Rockstar would see it as worth the engineering cost when the brand is strong enough that fans will buy whatever hardware the game actually launches on.
The Audience Argument, and Why It's Debatable
Hartvick's logic makes sense on paper, but it runs into a real counterpoint: GTA: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition sold well on the original Switch, which suggests there's a meaningful overlap between GTA fans and Nintendo owners that a "buy a PS5 instead" argument doesn't fully account for. Rockstar has also dipped into Nintendo hardware before with L.A. Noire on the original Switch, so it's not as if the studio treats the platform as off-limits.
That doesn't mean a Switch 2 port is coming. It just means the "wrong audience" framing is a simplification. The more grounded obstacle isn't who owns a Switch 2 — it's what a Switch 2 can actually run.
The Real Obstacle: Switch 2 Hardware vs. GTA 6's Simulation
GTA 6 is built around dense, simulation-heavy open-world systems — traffic, NPC behavior, physics, and lighting all running simultaneously at a scale the series has never attempted before. That's a demanding workload even for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and it's a much bigger ask for the Switch 2's mobile-class hardware.
| Specification | Nintendo Switch 2 | PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8-core ARM Cortex-A78C (~1.1 GHz docked) | 8-core AMD Zen 2 (3.5 GHz) | 8-core AMD Zen 2 (3.8 GHz) |
| GPU performance | ~3.07 TFLOPS (docked) | 10.28 TFLOPS | 12 TFLOPS |
That CPU gap is the real bottleneck. GTA 6's NPC density, traffic AI, and physics calculations all lean on CPU horsepower, and the Switch 2 simply isn't built for that kind of load at a console-comparable framerate. Any native port would almost certainly mean scaled-back population density, more pop-in, and lower settings across the board — exactly the "subpar experience" Hartvick says Rockstar would be reluctant to ship under its own name.
Could GTA 6 Really Run on a Smartphone?
This is the part of Hartvick's comments that's raising more eyebrows than the Switch 2 skepticism. He didn't rule out a mobile version — in fact, he suggested Rockstar could get GTA 6 running on a phone "if they put their mind to it," whether through native optimization or cloud streaming.
It sounds far-fetched until you look at where mobile hardware actually is right now. Flagship phone chips have made major strides in sustained graphics performance, Qualcomm has been pushing hard on PC-game emulation drivers for Android, and Apple's latest chips have reportedly run Cyberpunk 2077 — a game that famously struggled on base PS4 and Xbox One at launch. Cloud streaming is the more realistic near-term path (offloading the heavy lifting to a remote server rather than the phone itself), but native optimization isn't pure fantasy anymore either.
Worth noting: Rockstar hasn't confirmed a mobile version, a Switch 2 port, or even an official PC release date. Everything here is analysis of what's technically plausible, not a roadmap.
Where GTA 6 Actually Stands on Every Platform Right Now
- PS5 and Xbox Series X|S: Confirmed, launching November 19, 2026.
- PC: Widely expected to follow, in line with Rockstar's usual pattern of a delayed PC release, but no official date exists yet.
- Nintendo Switch 2: Unconfirmed. Rumors have circulated for months, fueled by conflicting insider claims — including a public bet between Kiwi Talkz and one of his sources over whether a day-one Switch 2 version would be announced.
- Smartphone: Not confirmed or denied. Hartvick's comments are speculation about technical feasibility, not insider knowledge of an actual project.
FAQ
Is GTA 6 confirmed for Nintendo Switch 2?
No. Rockstar has not confirmed a Switch 2 version. The idea remains rumor-driven, and a former Rockstar developer has now publicly cast doubt on whether it makes business sense.
Who is Jérémy Hartvick?
He's a former Rockstar open-world designer who worked on GTA 6 during its development from 2017 to 2020. He shared his views on Switch 2 and smartphone versions in an interview with Kiwi Talkz.
Why does Hartvick think a Switch 2 port doesn't make sense?
His argument is that GTA fans will buy whatever console the game actually releases on, so investing in a compromised, "subpar" Switch 2 version wouldn't generate a proportional return compared to the engineering cost.
Could GTA 6 really run on a smartphone?
Hartvick believes it's technically possible through native optimization or cloud streaming, pointing to how capable modern flagship phone chips have become. Nothing has been confirmed by Rockstar.
When does GTA 6 launch, and on what platforms?
GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. A PC version is expected eventually but has no confirmed date.
What's the biggest technical hurdle for a Switch 2 version?
The Switch 2's CPU is significantly weaker than the PS5 and Xbox Series X's, and GTA 6's traffic, NPC, and physics simulation systems are CPU-intensive. That mismatch is the practical obstacle, separate from Hartvick's audience-based argument.
Hartvick's comments don't confirm or rule out anything — Rockstar hasn't said a word officially about Switch 2 or mobile plans. What they do add is a rare inside perspective on how the studio might be weighing the cost-benefit of a compromised port against a brand strong enough that fans will simply buy the "right" hardware instead. Whether that calculation holds up against GTA's real crossover appeal with Nintendo audiences is still very much up for debate — and until Rockstar says otherwise, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and eventually PC remain the only confirmed ways to play GTA 6.