Preloading for Grand Theft Auto 6 has begun in New Zealand, and the encrypted game files are already yielding clues about features Rockstar Games has yet to announce, including what appears to be support for a newer build of Sony's AI-driven upscaler and a high frame rate option on the PlayStation 5 Pro. Sony's pre-download schedule opens at local midnight on November 10, which is why New Zealand, which reaches each calendar date before the United States, got the files first.

According to data surfaced on GTAForums and reported by wccftech, the game references PSSR version 13.60, ahead of the 13.00 build that has been used by every title to date, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin's Creed Shadows. A higher version number would suggest the game ships with a more advanced iteration of the upscaler, which could help the PS5 Pro deliver the visual fidelity shown in recent launch screenshots. Sony began rolling out an upgraded PSSR, widely referred to as PSSR 2, to the PS5 Pro in late February, with Resident Evil Requiem the first title to use it.

The file data also lists a "120hz / High Framerate mode, but no VRR," leaving open the possibility of a 40 FPS mode on the Pro. Separately, fans spotted support for BVH8, a ray tracing acceleration structure that performs notably better on the PS5 Pro than the BVH4 standard. Ubisoft previously said its BVH8 implementation on the Pro sped up GPU tasks involving hardware ray tracing by roughly 300% in Assassin's Creed Shadows.

Sony has confirmed only that GTA 6 carries the "PS5 Pro Enhanced" label, without specifying resolution or frame rate targets. Rockstar has not disclosed performance details for any platform. The base PlayStation 5 build does not appear to include QSSR support, which may arrive after launch given how recently the technology debuted. QSSR, or Quick Spectral Super Resolution, is the lighter, hand-tuned tier of PSSR that Sony brought to the standard PS5 on October 1, debuting in Marvel's Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei.

Other findings concern storage and multiplayer. Rockstar has said the game requires up to 212 GB depending on the device, and Sony's pre-download guidance asks players to clear at least that much free space. The audio files alone account for about 22 GB. A string reading "intentType": "launchMultiplayerActivity" appears in the data, an indication that a GTA Online component exists in the build even though Rockstar has said nothing publicly about multiplayer for the new title. The studio's silence has not stopped speculation, given the long-running commercial success of GTA 5's online mode.

Expectations for frame rates remain modest. Analysts and technical observers have said GTA 6 is unlikely to exceed 30 FPS on any platform at launch, citing the demands of ray tracing and physics simulation, and the Pro's CPU is only marginally more powerful than the standard console's.

Reported findingDetailPSSR version13.60, versus 13.00 in prior titlesDisplay mode120Hz / High Framerate, no VRRRay tracingBVH8 supportInstall sizeUp to 212 GB, with roughly 22 GB of audioMultiplayer"launchMultiplayerActivity" string present

Note: Findings come from encrypted preload files and remain unconfirmed by Rockstar or Sony.

The disclosures matter for Sony as much as for Rockstar. The PS5 Pro has struggled to justify its premium price without software that visibly exploits the hardware, and a marquee release arriving alongside a newer upscaler build would give the console its strongest showcase yet. For players weighing a hardware purchase before the November 19 launch, the file data offers the first concrete signal of what the Pro version may actually do, though none of it is official.

Take-Two has guided investors to fiscal 2027 net bookings of $8.0 billion to $8.2 billion, a range it reiterated in August. Sensor Tower estimates put preorders at 7.71 million units and $751 million in revenue as of early November, with 74% of buyers choosing the PlayStation 5 against 24% for the Xbox, and most taking the $99.99 Ultimate Edition over the $79.99 standard version. Sony's PlayStation segment reported ¥220.1 billion in operating income for the quarter ended September 30 and lifted its PlayStation sales forecast for the fiscal year 6% to ¥4,830 billion, even as PS5 shipments fell 35% to 2.6 million units.

The Pro's premium has also grown since launch. Sony raised recommended retail prices worldwide on April 2, 2026, lifting the console to $899.99 in the United States and ¥137,980 in Japan, from $699.99 and ¥119,980 in November 2024.

MarketLaunch price (November 2024)Price since April 2, 2026ChangeUnited States$699.99$899.99+$200 (+28.6%)United Kingdom£699.99£789.99+£90 (+12.9%)Europe€799.99€899.99+€100 (+12.5%)Japan¥119,980¥137,980+¥18,000 (+15.0%)

GTA 6 launches November 19. A PC version running NVIDIA DLSS 5 remains some way off.