GTA VI available on Xbox Cloud Gaming, bringing the game to older consoles

Cloud access limited to Xbox

Rockstar Games plans to offer Grand Theft Auto VI through Xbox Cloud Gaming when the game launches next week. Despite the service’s availability across several kinds of devices, streaming the game appears limited to Xbox Series X / S and Xbox One consoles.

That means owners of older Xbox One systems can stream the game rather than upgrade to a PS5 or Xbox Series S / X. Rockstar says the cloud stream on Xbox consoles will use Xbox Series S graphics settings.

Streaming rights remain unclear

The result is cloud gaming for Grand Theft Auto VI on Xbox consoles at launch, though the reporting on exclusivity has changed. Tom Warren first reported that Microsoft had secured exclusive cloud streaming rights, but Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball later said on X that Microsoft would not stream the game exclusively.

The contract may not specifically call for exclusivity, but Xbox is the only cloud streaming option described for now. Sony could announce its own plans later. Rockstar says the game will support Remote Play on PlayStation and Xbox, which is not cloud streaming.

PC streaming is not included

The game is not currently expected to stream through Xbox Cloud Gaming on PC, the web or TVs. The report initially said PC streaming would be available, based on the service’s usual reach, but later described Grand Theft Auto VI as a rare exception. Microsoft may eventually be able to stream the PC version if and when that version launches, but no such availability is confirmed.

Performance across consoles

Rockstar says Grand Theft Auto VI will run at 30fps on PS5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series S / X consoles. The PS5 Pro’s main advantages are ray-traced shadows and support for PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, or PSSR.