The danger of using generative AI tech poses a real threat to Rockstar Game's rollout plans for Grand Theft Auto 6. There's the possibility that unofficial ports could hurt the games sales before a proper PC version even launches. This in turn shifts expectations on the roll-out window between console and PC versions.
Ex-Rockstar lead says AI ports would hurt sales, potentially speeding up PC launch
This danger is something that former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij discussed recently in an interview. Vermeij pointed to how using AI to turn a PS5 version into a PC version is technically feasible. What you end up with would probably not be as good as what Rockstar could do on its own, but it would still hurt the game in terms of sales.
Vermeij figures that trying to make an unofficial port of the game would run up tens of thousands of dollars in AI tokens. It would require hours and hours of real-world computation. Not to mention the amount of computing power this would require. Still, Vermeij thinks that malicious people will try to make this conversion for such a huge game.
To combat this, it might mean that Rockstar would have to speed up the roll-out timeline for the PC version. Vermeij said that he wouldn't be surprised to see a shortened time between releases. With Sony planning to stop making discs in 2028, that only adds to the appeal of digital and PC options.
For now, GTA 6 is still slated for a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S release first. As we covered previously, the PS5 Pro version could be limited to 30 FPS because of the CPU limitations. So now Rockstar has to contend with these technical issues while trying to keep AI piracy at bay.
The token cost estimate seems high for a single port. Rendering assets is one thing but reconstructing the game logic and physics engine would require far more compute than just swapping textures.
tens of thousands of dollars is nothing for a pirated copy tbh
Rockstar will just delay the PC release again.
Will the anti-cheat system on PC be able to distinguish between an official build and an AI modified version? The binary signatures would likely differ significantly.
It depends on how they implement it. If they rely on integrity checks that look for specific memory layouts or asset hashes the AI port will fail immediately. They might need to sign the build to prevent modification entirely.
I just hope the PS5 Pro version gets a proper frame rate boost instead of capping at 30. It feels like a weak selling point for the extra cost.
The VRAM requirements for running AI upscaling in real time are insane. You need dedicated hardware for that kind of heavy lifting.
Sony stopping disc production in 2028 makes digital piracy easier but also pushes everyone to PC eventually. The timeline shift is inevitable.