Could a smoother experience matter more than chasing 60fps? Newly examined PlayStation files suggest GTA 6 PS5 Pro may have an interesting option between traditional 30fps gameplay and a full 60fps performance mode. However, the evidence comes from game metadata, not a Rockstar announcement, and it does not confirm that such an option will actually be available.
With Grand Theft Auto VI launching on November 19, the timing is particularly interesting. PS5 pre-loading begins on November 10 at midnight local time, meaning regions such as New Zealand are already reaching the download window. Consequently, technical information is emerging before players can explore Vice City themselves.
Why GTA 6 PS5 Pro could benefit from 40fps more than expected
For months, the biggest performance question has been whether Rockstar’s open-world adventure could reach 60fps on Sony’s upgraded console. Yet there is another possibility worth discussing: a 40fps mode designed for 120Hz displays.
According to dataminer Tex2, who shared the findings in a November 9 GTAForums post examining GTA VI’s technical metadata, the PS5 version supports a 120Hz or high-frame-rate capability. However, variable refresh rate, commonly called VRR, is not flagged as supported.
That distinction matters because 120Hz and 120fps are not interchangeable. A 120Hz television refreshes its picture 120 times per second, but a game can still render considerably fewer frames. At 40fps, each new frame can remain on screen for exactly three refresh cycles. This produces consistent frame delivery without requiring the console to render 120 individual frames every second.
Compared with 30fps, a stable 40fps target would reduce the time between frames from approximately 33.3 milliseconds to 25 milliseconds. That is a meaningful improvement in responsiveness and motion clarity, even though it would not feel as fluid as 60fps. Crucially, Rockstar would still need to implement and enable this mode. Nothing discovered so far proves it exists.
GTA 6 PS5 Pro metadata reveals another potential advantage
The 120Hz finding is not the only interesting detail. Tex2 also identified support for the PS5 Pro’s High CPU Frequency Mode, a system capability that could be relevant to a game with an ambitious open world.
Grand Theft Auto VI has to manage much more than what appears directly in front of the camera. Traffic, pedestrians, animations, simulation systems and other gameplay processes all compete for processing resources. In a complex environment, CPU limitations can affect how consistently frames are produced, even when additional graphics power is available.
Therefore, support for a higher CPU frequency setting is potentially useful. It suggests compatibility with an additional PS5 Pro performance feature. Nevertheless, a metadata flag does not establish how Rockstar uses that feature, whether it remains active throughout gameplay or what measurable improvement it delivers.
This is also why a hypothetical 40fps option deserves attention. Reaching 60fps requires a new frame every 16.7 milliseconds, while 40fps allows 25 milliseconds. That extra processing time could make a middle-ground setting more practical for demanding scenes. Still, this is a technical explanation of the possibility, not evidence of a confirmed GTA VI performance target.
A newer PSSR version could be just as important as frame rate
Another discovery concerns PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, or PSSR, Sony’s AI-based image reconstruction technology. Rather than rendering every pixel directly at a higher output resolution, compatible games can use reconstruction techniques to produce a sharper final image from a lower-resolution starting point.
According to the reported metadata, GTA VI lists version 13.60 for the PSSR field Sony internally calls Multi-Frame Super Resolution. For comparison, Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows use version 13.00A, associated with PSSR 2.
That makes the newer version number noteworthy. It suggests GTA VI may be using a more recent iteration of PSSR 2, although the version identifier alone cannot tell us how the final image will look. There is no verified information here about output resolution, internal rendering resolution, visual improvements or ray-tracing settings.
For players, the important distinction is between image reconstruction and frame generation. PSSR primarily concerns image quality and reconstruction; its presence does not automatically increase a game’s frame rate or guarantee a particular performance mode. Rockstar’s implementation will ultimately determine the results.
What Rockstar has actually confirmed ahead of November 19
Despite these discoveries, the official picture remains considerably more conservative. GTA VI has carried the PS5 Pro Enhanced label on its PlayStation Store listing since pre-orders opened in June 2026. However, that designation does not specify which enhancements players will receive.
In late August, Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson told Brazilian outlet Flow Games that the game was running at 30fps across all consoles at that stage, including PS5 Pro. He did not confirm a 60fps option or provide specific information about resolution and ray tracing.
Furthermore, Rockstar has not announced a 40fps mode, a dedicated 120Hz graphics setting or any other alternative performance preset. The lack of a VRR support flag in Tex2’s findings also means players should not assume that variable refresh rate will be available to smooth out inconsistent frame delivery.
Meanwhile, the latest discoveries are arriving alongside other PlayStation data. Our earlier coverage of GTA 6 Online files and possible multiplayer installation features highlights a similar issue: technical preparations can appear in system records long before their practical purpose becomes clear.
Players preparing for launch can also check our GTA 6 pre-load schedule and storage guide. The game arrives on Thursday, November 19, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, while the staggered PlayStation download schedule is already giving dataminers access to useful clues.
Ultimately, GTA 6 PS5 Pro may have more technical flexibility than its previously reported 30fps target suggests. A 40fps setting could offer an appealing compromise for owners of compatible 120Hz televisions, while newer PSSR technology might provide another route to visual improvements. For now, though, those possibilities remain unconfirmed. The real test will come when Rockstar reveals its final graphics options or players can examine the finished game on November 19.
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