You do not need an Xbox Series X to play Grand Theft Auto VI on day one. Microsoft announced on November 10 that the game will stream to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S through Xbox Cloud Gaming when it launches on November 19, according to Kotaku and Gadget Review, which both cite Microsoft’s Xbox announcement. The Xbox One cannot run GTA VI natively, so streaming is the only way to play on that console. Here is how it works and where the limits are.
Who can stream it
Per GTA Boom, summarising the Xbox announcement, the Xbox One has no native version and gets streaming only. Xbox Series X and Series S can play the game natively or stream it. Kotaku and Gadget Review both report that the stream is available from 1 a.m. Eastern Time on November 19.
What it looks like
Cloud streams use Xbox Series S graphics settings, according to Kotaku, Gadget Review and GTA Boom, and Kotaku says they target 30 frames per second, the same target Rockstar has set for PS5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X|S. GTA Boom notes that the exact trade-offs of the Series S version have not been confirmed. Quality also depends on your internet connection: expect possible compression, input lag or stutter on a weak one.
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What you need to buy
- The game itself. GTA VI is not part of Game Pass, according to GTA Boom, so you buy it separately whichever way you play. Kotaku puts the digital copy at $80, which matches Rockstar’s $79.99 Standard Edition price reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
- Cloud access. You need Xbox Cloud Gaming access, either through a Game Pass tier with monthly streaming hours or through standalone cloud playtime. GTA Boom says standalone hours became available on November 11 in supported markets with no subscription. Kotaku says ten hours costs $4. That price is from one outlet and may vary by region, so check Xbox’s own store before you buy.
We could not confirm the monthly streaming hours for each Game Pass tier from two sources, so we have left them out. If you plan a long playthrough, look at the current hour limits on your plan before launch day.
What is not included
Kotaku reports that streaming to mobile devices and PC is not part of the Rockstar agreement, and it says it is unclear whether that may change. GTA Boom says Xbox Cloud Gaming cannot stream the game to a PC or phone and that there is no native PC version. Microsoft also says other Rockstar games, including GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2, will join Xbox Cloud Gaming in the coming months, per Kotaku and Gadget Review. No dates were given.
Remote Play is different
Rockstar has also confirmed Remote Play on both PlayStation and Xbox, according to GTA Boom and Kotaku. That lets you stream from a current-generation console you own to another screen, such as a PlayStation Portal. It needs your console to be running the game. Cloud gaming runs the game on Microsoft’s servers instead.
What is still unknown
- How the Series S settings compare with the native versions in practice.
- Whether streaming will ever reach PC, phones or TVs.
- The cloud hours each Game Pass tier includes.
For pre-load times and the 212 GB download, see our GTA 6 pre-load guide on StepPhase. For the full list of confirmed facts, see the GTA 6 hub.
Sources
- Kotaku: You can play GTA 6 on a 13-year-old Xbox
- Gadget Review: GTA VI comes to Xbox One through cloud gaming
- GTA Boom: GTA 6 on Xbox Cloud Gaming
- The Hollywood Reporter: price
Image: Rockstar Games.
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