GTA V is the most popular game by developer Rockstar Games. It was originally released in 2013 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. Since its release, GTA V has had re-releases of enhanced versions for the newer consoles. Except that one prominent console is missing from the list… Why isn’t GTA V on Nintendo Switch?
GTA V is an action-adventure open world game where players control three main characters, Trevor, Michael, and Franklin. Each character has its own storyline that is played separately until they eventually come together. The game is currently available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows.
In 2013, Rockstar Games also release GTA Online, an online multiplayer on the same universe as GTA V. The game is ever evolving with new content packs dropping on a semi-regular basis. These packs include new missions, vehicles, weapons, and cosmetic items. GTA Online is available on the same consoles as GTA V and not on Nintendo Switch.
The reason why these games are not available on Nintendo Switch might be simple — file size. When you purchase GTA V for PC, you need around 95GB of space available. That is at least three times the default internal storage of a Nintendo Switch, 32GB. The storage can be expanded to 2TB, but this is sold separately, and a developer cannot assume players will have the money to expand their storage.
Nintendo Switch games, while having high graphics and being open world, have relatively small files. For example, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is open world and has one of the best graphics in the console, the file size is only 13.7GB. Other games like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have a file size of 7GB.
To get GTA V to a size that could work for Nintendo Switch, developers would have to compromise on many fronts, rendering the entire effort worthless.
GTA V is not available for Nintendo Switch, but players can find other games in the series. GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is available for $59.99 on the Nintendo eShop.
This compilation includes the enhanced versions of GTA: Vice City, GTA III, and GTA: San Andreas. The classic games remain the same; the only difference being the remastered graphics. The file size for all three games combined is 25.4GB, less than a third of GTA V’s size.
Rockstar Games is not playing on releasing another anthology like the GTA Trilogy, and it hasn’t announced any plans of releasing GTA V for Nintendo Switch either.
The next game in the GTA series coming to Nintendo Switch could be the highly anticipated GTA VI. The game doesn’t have an official release date, fans expect it to come at some point in 2024. That date could be delayed. Since the developers already have experience putting a game on the Nintendo eShop, perhaps they will continue the trend with the next installment.
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