GTA 5’s PC release is almost upon us. It feels like a ridiculously long time coming. Some PC gamers even wondered if it would ever release on their preferred platform. However, they need never have feared – apparently Rockstar planned on a PC (and next gen console) release right from the start.
PC Gamer interviewed a group of Rockstar North developers and found out that PC was always on their mind.
We were always going to bring GTA 5 to PC. We planned from day 1 for a PC build and we made technical decisions based off the fact that we would be doing a PC version of the game. While we started development of the PC version quite early, we decided to focus the bulk of our attention on the PS3 and XB360 versions first in order to push that as far as we possibly could before turning our attention to the PS4 and Xbox One versions, and then using the shared architecture underpinning the new consoles to help ourselves ramp up into the PC version and push the game as far as we possibly could knowing we would have the opportunity to make the game look and feel better than it ever has.
I’m glad that the studio already knew how to build the game to make porting to the next tier platforms easier, even if it did take them a long time to do it. It’s important for studios to recognize that their ports to one platform or another isn’t just about a quick and easy job – the game needs to be developed for it from the ground up to make it easier. The architectures for PS4 and Xbox One work well with PC, but they still have unique development challenges and it’s nice to know that these were considered even from the earliest points in development. Even if this is tacit confirmation that Rockstar planned to gouge from the very beginning.
Last Updated: April 13, 2015
Greylingad
April 13, 2015 at 08:10
With the idea of Rockstar developing the game for multiple platforms from start and making sure that they do it in such a way that you wouldn’t need game fixing patches, doesn’t it set an example to other studios as to what game development should be like? Yes I am referring to Ass hat ins craut….
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 08:25
No it doesn’t. Because a decent developer would bring out all versions at the same time.
Greylingad
April 13, 2015 at 08:28
Hahaha, that is true, but then, what about the PS4 licensing fees and the cash in? I’ll tell you one thing, if they’d released all 5 versions on the same day, the current gen consoles would not have generated the profit they did, no matter how anyone looked at things… which then suggests a brilliant marketing team, because they sold the same product three different times….
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 08:30
No, that’s true, for sure. It’s good marketing, but it’s bad customer service.
The version of subject is the pc version though. So either they purposefully held it back or they just had terrible planning. Neither of which is a good thing.
Greylingad
April 13, 2015 at 08:34
Hehe, it would be the former, I still believe that there was a massive, I mean colossal royalty fee with regards to the initial PS3 and Xbox 360 release, there is just no other explanation, they were most probably paid to withhold the other versions…But let us not argue over spilt milk, we are almost at the final master piece release so let’s see how it pans out, for all we know, it could be a massive disappointment….
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 08:36
Oh yes. I work with royalties every day, I’ve seen how those things can stack up. Then you’d think they would want to get the pc version out though, since you’re not paying that huge console licensing fee.
Well, I guess we’ll wait and see. For me it will be wait and see Christmas this year, when it’s on sale for under $10.
Ryanza
April 13, 2015 at 08:38
You might still be playing The Witcher 3 at Christmas.
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 08:42
I probably will be. So then I can wait until GTA V is $5. 🙂
Blood Emperor Trevor
April 13, 2015 at 08:55
Get Divinity Original Sin instead, you can co-op with your better half too.
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 09:02
I really have actually considered getting that game. It’s just a bit pricey for me at this stage.
Ryanza
April 13, 2015 at 09:05
$5 Steam Winter Sale. Our Summer.
Blood Emperor Trevor
April 13, 2015 at 09:05
If you’re an RPG fan, it’s worth it. I haven’t been so engrossed in a game in ages. I’ve literally lost track of time & forgotten to eat while playing it.
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 09:07
Big RPG fan and it’s been on my wishlist for a while. And I have enough money lying in my Steam wallet :/
Must….be….strong….
Blood Emperor Trevor
April 13, 2015 at 09:09
This is the game you are looking for.
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 09:14
My ADSL line however, is dead. It just died Friday night. Now I’ve logged a fault at Telkom. So hopefully they’ll have it fixed by September.
Ryanza
April 13, 2015 at 09:18
At least you can still buy The Witcher 3 and just install and play it. #NoDRM.
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 09:20
Oh yes. Waiting with bated breath for that pre-order of mine.
Ryanza
April 13, 2015 at 08:55
DRM is worth $0 but $5 is ok to waste on worthless shit.
Greylingad
April 13, 2015 at 08:41
Hehe, I’m sure that if it wasn’t for those damned console licensing fees, this world would be a better place!
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 08:44
Fo shizzle! 😉
Wyzak
April 13, 2015 at 14:14
But then it wouldn’t have been a console port? 😀
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 14:44
Probably still would’ve been, sadly.
Admiral Chief asked for this
April 13, 2015 at 08:15
In other words: “We wanted to make sure we can get enough milk from all the gamers, old and current gen and master gen”
“oh, and moooooo you suckas!”
Lord Chaos
April 13, 2015 at 08:22
LOL. Ironically I don’t mind if they do it or even if Blizz does it. You know there will be some extra content.
These other remastering of remasters are dodge though.
The only other remaster I could actually get behind would be ME.
Blood Emperor Trevor
April 13, 2015 at 08:21
Jaaaaaaaaaaaaa… Nee.
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 08:25
Let me guess, they just wanted to wait until the game is old, because games are like wine?
Hammersteyn
April 13, 2015 at 08:37
And gamers like to whine?
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 08:42
Oh so much 😀
Ryanza
April 13, 2015 at 08:53
It seems like GTA 5 at retail will not be an extension of Steam. You will have to activate and play the game through Social Club.
If I can recall properly, GTA 4 was not locked to any account. You could still sell the game. I forgot my passwords for Social Club a few times and the game still worked on different Social Club accounts. I could be wrong. Not sure about this one. I did get a mod for the DRM to fuck off.
At least I don’t have to worry about DRM and Internet fucking connections and all that shit when it comes time to play The Witcher 3. CDPR doesn’t treat me like a criminal when buying their games.
Don’t Support DRM. The Witcher 3 is coming.
BacchusZA
April 13, 2015 at 09:07
“Grand Theft Auto V is available in: 15h 53m 53s….”
I think I’m just going to leave the launcher open on my second monitor, all day, so I can watch that countdown 😀
Matthew Holliday
April 13, 2015 at 09:15
“We were always going to bring GTA 5 to PC.”
yet they avoided answering the question everytime they were asked so they could dupe PC gamers into buying it twice.
planned from day 1, yet its been out for over a year on the consoles, doesnt seem like very good planning.
douchebags.
bought the game for ps3, not buying it again…
Captain JJ the flash noob
April 13, 2015 at 09:17
I can’t upvote this enough.
solstudioim
April 13, 2015 at 10:46
I can’t believe this is true guys, check out free copy of Call Duty Ghost! http://trkur.com/81328/11312
justfoamy
April 13, 2015 at 11:15
Downloa GTA5 Full PC Download for FREE ??? http://www.gta5pcdownload.ml
MakeItLegal
April 13, 2015 at 13:14
proper ! rockstar is a saint
Scorpion V SubZero
April 13, 2015 at 15:04
https://youtu.be/EAwWPadFsOA
Stan Smith
April 13, 2015 at 16:10
This was obvious from the beginning. They did it with San Andreas and GTA IV. It’s a dick move towards consumers, but good business.
Fred
April 13, 2015 at 18:22
So I guess Rockstar lied when they told you all that there were no definite plans for a PC or Next Gen release. You would have never have bought that stinky Xbox360 / PS3 if they had told you that they had already written everything for the next generation of console and the PC.