Correction: October 3, 2026
It's almost always a given that when a new console with backwards compatibility is released, the first to get the shaft are third-party titles. So when Nintendo confirmed details about the Nintendo Switch 2 on April 2, including its pricing that may or may not affect Grand Theft Auto 6, you'd best bet that one of the first things we wondered is if the few Rockstar Games titles on the Nintendo Switch were on Nintendo's list of games with start-up issues. None of them appeared on that initial list, which was encouraging for anyone hoping to bring those games across.
Nintendo's official documentation listed Switch games with start-up issues being investigated, rather than every game confirmed fully compatible with Switch 2. Rockstar's trio of Switch releases did not appear on that list: Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire. Their absence was a positive sign, not a blanket compatibility guarantee. These are the Nintendo Switch versions; their inclusion in the GTA+ library on other platforms does not provide Switch access.
The Nintendo Switch 2 comes with a pretty hefty price jump and its cartridges aren't going to be cheap. So any game you can carry over and enjoy from the original Switch is a plus. With that said, it's time to address the elephant in the room: why didn't we see a new Grand Theft Auto confirmed for the Nintendo Switch 2?
The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct felt like a belated April Fool's gag the way the showcase rattled off several titles that had no business being played on a handheld suddenly being confirmed for the upcoming ninth-generation console. We're talking about the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring, among others.
Given that both of the aforementioned titles are miles more demanding than Grand Theft Auto V, this would've been an excellent opportunity to confirm the release of Grand Theft Auto Online on the Switch 2. If nothing else, it would've been an excellent consolation price for Steam Deck owners who still can't enjoy playing GTA 5 online with their friends.
With Rockstar paying more attention to GTA V lately, what with the release of BattlEye, Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced and the upcoming Xbox Game Pass launch, launching the title on the Switch 2 would've been absolutely on brand. Instead, the second-best-selling video game of all time was nowhere to be seen - which begs the question, why?
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Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick previously confirmed that they will support the Switch 2 and it's not like modders hadn't already found a way to make GTA 5 run on the Switch. So, what gives? Is it just an announcement waiting to happen or is Rockstar sitting on a remaster of Grand Theft Auto 4, which it will release first on the Switch 2 before GTA V? Perhaps there's a massive rollout for Red Dead Redemption 2 on current-gen consoles unlikely the Switch 2 that we don't know about?
Rockstar's silence with GTA 6 is one thing, but everything else is just perplexing, to say the least. Here's to hoping we'll get more clarity ahead of the Take-Two investor's call in May. For now, those interested in Nintendo's newest console can start saving up. It's already available for pre-order in certain retailers with a sticker price of $449.99 with a June 5 release date.
