Is GTA Online Coming To Nintendo Switch?

GTA Online is as popular as ever and everyone is wondering the same thing: When is GTA Online coming to Nintendo Switch?

The Nintendo Switch might not be as much of a powerhouse compared to the Xbox Series X and the PS5, but that doesn't mean it should be overlooked.

Huge multiplayer titles like Overwatch, Fortnite, and FIFA have all proven to be a hit on the handheld hybrid. So, it seems like it's fair to ask where GTA Online is?

Below, we're discussing why we don't think Rockstar's online sandbox chaos will be sharing the screen with Mario and Luigi anytime soon.

GTA 5 Isn't On Switch Yet

This goes without saying but you arguably need GTA 5 on a console before GTA Online.

The two games share a lot of the same content and the same map, so if one works the other should be fine.

With GTA 5 being out almost eight years now, there's obviously some reasons as to why it hasn't made the jump over to Nintendo Switch yet.

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Rockstar and Nintendo have a bit of a past, with the original GTA launching on the Game Boy and GTA: Chinatown Wars releasing as a Nintendo DS console exclusive for a while.

However, that was a pretty long time ago. Recently, Rockstar Games did manage to port their crime thriller L.A. Noire to the Nintendo Switch, but the content of that game pales in comparison to what GTA 5 offers.

Nintendo is a fairly family-friendly company, despite their cautious reach into the wider gaming market, and GTA 5 is far from family-friendly.

The controversy that surrounds the series and much of what goes on in each game don't fit in with the tightly-controlled image Nintendo has presented and it frankly doesn't feel like it would be worth risking this for GTA Online.

Nintendo Switch games continue to dominate physical sales charts and the console is still consistently selling well. Why would you jeopardise that?

Storage Issues

This one is all about simple mathematics at the end of the day.

The Nintendo Switch's internal storage is only around 32GB. GTA 5 is at least double this and the latest GTA Online update was a whopping 7GB!

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With games like The Witcher 3 clocking in at 28.1GB on the Nintendo Switch, only a reduction of about 6GB, it's hard to imagine Rockstar will be able to shave off over half of the game's size to fit it onto a Nintendo Switch.

The console does take SD cards, though, but it is still hard to imagine a game that would need as much space as GTA Online making it to Switch.

Connectivity Requirements

GTA Online needs a stable internet connection to be playable. This isn't out of the ordinary in any shooting game, but the demand GTA Online has given its scale is almost on another level.

The Nintendo Switch does have online features, but nothing on the same scale.

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Most people play GTA Online on a platform connected to their internet via an ethernet cable. The Nintendo Switch doesn't have this option so would the console even be viable on this basis alone?

Overwatch has proven semi-successful on the console and as an online-only game where internet connectivity is vital, this does suggest that it is possible. The same goes with Epic Games' Fortnite.

However, would we recommend it? No.

GTA Online is due to launch as a stand-alone title in the future on PC, Xbox consoles, and PlayStation consoles. We don't think it will be coming to the Nintendo Switch.