The release of the trailer for the highly anticipated "GTA 6" has many gamers wondering if they will be able to play the game on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.

Given the lack of core hardware internals, it is highly unlikely that the upgraded Switch will be able to handle the challenging requirements presented by "GTA 6."

As stated by Digital Foundry, a leading resource on video game technology, the Nintendo Switch 2 will miss the boat back to Vice City in 2025, largely due to the advanced lighting and heavy use of ray tracing as seen in the GTA 6 trailer. may miss the return ship to the city of Vice City.

However, the introduction of cloud gaming, coupled with the recent Switch debuts of Rockstar titles such as the "Red Dead Redemption" remaster and the trilogy's "Definitive Edition," make Switch 2 playable in "GTA 4" and "GTA 5" Potential.

Early reports on Switch hardware upgrades point to an Nvidia-designed processor called the T234, which uses an 8nm process and has 12 ARM A78E CPU cores. while not a one-to-one match, this is a good indication that the supposed Switch 2 proves that what is being described as the Switch 2 could be on par with something like the Xbox Series S or Microsoft's digital-only Series X.

This is a very interesting development, and one that is not likely to be a one-to-one deal.

This contradicts previous rumors from Activision, which claimed during its heated battle with the FTC that the Switch 2 would be similar to previous generation hardware like the Xbox One and PS4. As such, it is generally speculative as to what exactly Switch 2 might be able to handle when it is officially announced.

Given what we know so far, especially how "GTA 6" might be handled on the announced consoles (PS5/Xbox Series X), it seems highly doubtful that "GTA 6" will be released on the Switch 2. In fact, "GTA 6" has not even been confirmed for a PC version, a factor common to many recent Rockstar titles

.

For example, Red Dead Redemption 2, originally released in October 2018 on PS4 and Xbox One, made its PC debut in November 2019. If GTA 6 runs on the Switch's supposedly upgraded software, it is unlikely that fans will even be able to play it when the game is fully released in 2025.

But there is always cloud gaming; new frontiers offered in the form of Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now could make GTA 6 playable on the Switch 2. Whether the upgraded Switch hardware will include cloud capabilities remains to be seen, but the possibility is certainly there.

Still, while the latest version of Rockstar's most beloved open world may not be treated on Switch 2, there may still be room for a GTA alternative. Rockstar has been busy updating and remastering its catalog for the Switch, including "Red Dead Redemption" and the first three GTA games in 3D.

Prior reports suggesting that the Switch upgrade could be on par with the PS4/Xbox One generation may lend credence to the possibility of a new GTA remaster for the Switch 2. Although it never materialized, rumors persisted that a GTA 4 remaster would also be announced leading up to the release of the "GTA 6" trailer.

Fans have long been clamoring for a return to the Liberty City, and while playing "GTA 4" on the Switch may sound like a complete stretch, it would certainly be possible with the hardware's capabilities. Nevertheless, it may require special tuning and tweaking, and there is no doubt that Rockstar has its hands full with "GTA 6" at the moment.

More exciting, however, would be the possibility of "GTA 5" being ported to the Switch 2. If the rumors are true that the Switch 2 may be similar to the Series S, or even the previous generation of hardware, then there is no doubt that "GTA 5" will run relatively easily on the upgraded handheld console.

However, we won't know for sure until the Nintendo Switch 2 is officially announced. In the meantime, don't hesitate to watch the GTA 6 trailer six more times and get a Switch OLED this Christmas if you're too fierce to wait for a hardware upgrade.