Grand Theft Auto 6: Will GTA V successor come to mobile phones on iOS and Android or not? Here’s what we know so far

Grand Theft Auto 6 may still be a few years away, but it looks like mobile users might be able to play the game anyway. Here’s what we know so far.

Representative image: A product still from Grand Theft Auto V. The next instalment of the game could arrive as late as 2025, according to a new leak.   (Rockstar Games via Steam)

Grand Theft Auto 6 rumours have been doing the rounds lately, with reports stating that the previously expected 2023 release timeline could actually be delayed until 2025 and that the game was still being developed. The next instalment in the popular action-adventure series is expected to bring major changes to the in-game map. However, at the moment, the most important thing fans want to hear is when GTA 6 will launch. Having said that, GTA V has been extremely popular and it has enhanced the reputation of GTA magnificently.

But with all the attention on GTA 6, which is rumoured to arrive for PC running Windows, and consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, it is the mobile gamers who are wondering whether they will be left out of the action when GTA 6 finally arrives. At this point, it is extremely early to speculate on whether the game might come to mobile devices, but it is not impossible to imagine developer Rockstar Games porting the rumoured game for handheld gaming too.

Rockstar has released older GTA titles for iOS and Android in the past

While they're no match for the desktop gaming experience offered by Rockstar Games, the mobile versions of GTA Vice City, San Andreas and Liberty City Stories brought a lot of nostalgia for users who grew up playing these games. However, the latest GTA title has not (yet) been released officially for mobile devices. This is probably due to the size of the game on consoles and PC, which could definitely be a constraint for devices that still come with 32GB and 64GB of storage. However, we've seen popular games like The Walking Dead, Half Life 2 and Portal come to select Android devices from the Xbox 360 and PS3 in the past, so it's not an impossible task.

GTA 6 might have a unique map when it launches

According to a video posted by Call of Duty and Battlefield leaker Tom Henderson on YouTube, the next instalment in the series could drop the static map in favour of an evolving map that can change with updates. This means that just like popular mobile games Fortnite, Call of Duty: Mobile and the upcoming Apex Legends, the game could also arrive as an optimised mobile port. A mobile port would also let users play the game wherever they are, without having to be next to their console. It would also allow Rockstar Games to target players that do not have a powerful computer or a compatible gaming console.

How users might still be able to play GTA 6 on their mobile devices

It is no secret that gamers can “stream” GTA 5 on their Android devices using the Steam Link app or using the Xbox Game Pass. Gamers have been using this trick to play the game. With the former, they need a licenced copy of the game, a PC capable of running the game and a good internet connection. With the Xbox Game Pass, users will simply need to purchase a Game Pass subscription and a good internet connection to play. Even in the absence of an official GTA 6 mobile game release, users might still be able to play the game on their devices when it launches, using this method.