Digital Foundry, a leading gaming analyst, has suggested that Rockstar Games may have integrated ray-traced global illumination (RTGI) technology from the highly anticipated GTA 6 into the latest Enhanced version of GTA 5. Their recent YouTube video, which reviews the PC Enhanced edition, highlights the significant enhancements Rockstar has brought to this classic title.
Analyst Insights: The Link Between GTA 6 and GTA 5 Enhanced
You can view the detailed analysis in their video posted on YouTube on March 15, 2025. During the review, Digital Foundry praised Rockstar for its sophisticated implementation of the ray-traced global illumination feature. The analysis compared GTA 5’s enhancements to those seen in other popular titles such as DOOM Eternal, Dying Light 2 Stay Human, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, ultimately concluding that Rockstar’s enhancements are superior in quality.
This leads to speculation that the new RTGI feature was initially intended for GTA 6 and was later adapted for the Enhanced version of GTA 5. While this theory is still under discussion, it raises intriguing possibilities about the development strategies of Rockstar Games.
Despite the excitement surrounding the Enhanced update for GTA 5, Digital Foundry expressed concerns regarding the hardware limitations of current-generation consoles. With Rockstar planning to launch GTA 6 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, there are doubts about whether these platforms can sustain 60 FPS with advanced ray-tracing features enabled, given the constraints of their CPUs.
Digital Foundry conducted benchmarks using an AMD Ryzen 5 3600, a CPU that simulates the performance of current console hardware while running GTA 5 Enhanced with ultra RTGI and ultra RT reflections. Their findings indicated that the frame rates fluctuated between 50 and 60 FPS, which may not meet the standards gamers expect from a high-profile title like GTA 6.
With stuttering gameplay being unacceptable for a title of this magnitude, it will be crucial to see how Rockstar minimizes performance issues to deliver a smooth and immersive experience when GTA 6 finally launches.