GTA VI targets 30 fps, and only PS5 Pro gets ray-traced shadows

Rockstar hasn't promised PS5 Pro owners a faster game. Its November 10 pre-load post gives one target for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, "targeting 30 frames per second," and names no other frame rate.

What the Pro gets is a better-looking one. Rockstar names two upgrades: a sharper image through PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), and ray-traced shadows "only available on PlayStation 5 Pro."

PS5 Pro: PSSR and ray-traced shadows

PlayStation's own November 10 post names the same two:

• PSSR. PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution is Sony's upscaler for the Pro. When the Pro launched in 2024, PlayStation described it as "AI-driven upscaling" that uses machine learning to sharpen the image.
• Ray-traced shadows, which Rockstar says are Pro-only.

That backs up part of a listing briefly seen on PlayStation's French website. PowerUp Gaming doubted that listing on November 4, partly because its haptics section mentioned "Atsu's katana strikes" from Ghost of Yōtei. The listing also promised better reflections and lighting, and neither November 10 post mentions them.

Every console: a 30 fps target

Rockstar says the game was built "from the ground up" for this console generation, "targeting 30 frames per second while pushing both platforms to their absolute limits." It ties that to keeping "the density and visual fidelity" of Leonida's places and people.

Rockstar's post doesn't mention any other frame rate or a performance mode, so we won't guess at one.

What the DualSense does

The controller features work on every PS5. PlayStation says the game uses the DualSense's speaker, haptics and adaptive triggers "fully" across the game, and that all three can be adjusted in the accessibility settings.

VGC's Rhiannon Bevan picked out four moments in PlayStation's new Features Trailer:

• weapon recoil you feel in the triggers;
• extra pressure when your character lifts weights;
• the whole controller rumbling when an enemy throws you;
• police radio chatter from the controller's speaker.

That's VGC's reading of the video. The trailer is linked in our sources.

PlayStation also says every in-game sound uses Tempest 3D Audio and the SSD cuts loading. Its game page promises "near-instant load times," which Tom's Guide's Scott Younker says is something to test after launch.

Xbox: cloud play on Xbox One, too

Rockstar says GTA VI will also stream through Xbox Cloud Gaming on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles, "utilizing XBOX Series S graphics settings." It warns that connection speed can affect performance in ways local play wouldn't. Remote Play is supported on both PlayStation and Xbox.

Still unsaid

• Resolution on any console.
• Whether there's a choice of graphics modes.
• How the Series X and Series S versions differ when installed locally.

If you're playing on PS5

• Pre-load now. PlayStation's game page says to clear at least 212 GB.
• Boxed copy? It's a code. You can redeem it and start pre-loading as soon as you have it.
• Check the controller settings. Turn down the trigger resistance or the speaker if they're not for you.
• Not on PS4. PlayStation's page says the game isn't playable there.

PlayStation's post also calls GTA VI the most pre-ordered game in PlayStation Store history. Our pre-order story separates that record from the estimates.

So a Pro buys you a sharper picture and shadows nobody else gets. On November 19 you can judge whether that's worth it.