GTA 6 may melt your PS5—Death Stranding 2 is already raising the heat

Sony’s PlayStation 5 is once again under scrutiny as players report overheating problems while running Death Stranding 2, raising doubts about the console’s readiness for future heavyweight titles such as Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6). With Rockstar’s next blockbuster poised to push graphical and processing boundaries, concerns are mounting over whether the standard PS5 can sustain the demands of next-gen open-world games.

Death Stranding 2 spurs overheating reports

Death Stranding 2, exclusive to the PS5 and praised for its expansive visuals, appears to be causing the console to overheat—particularly when players access the in-game map. Users report hearing a sudden spike in fan activity, followed by overheating alerts—even on freshly unboxed or well-maintained consoles. While these spikes are most prominent during map access, some have noted similar issues during standard gameplay, albeit less frequently.

This is not an isolated incident. Previous releases like Black Myth: Wukong and Final Fantasy XVI have triggered similar overheating warnings, suggesting that the PS5’s current hardware configuration is increasingly being stretched by recent titles.

Can GTA 6 run smoothly on base PS5?

The anticipated arrival of GTA 6 brings further concerns. The game is expected to feature a highly detailed open world, complex AI interactions, and cutting-edge visuals—all of which could heavily tax the PS5’s resources. Historically, Rockstar’s games have posed challenges for consoles. For instance, GTA 4 saw significant frame drops on the PS3, while GTA 5 was locked at 30 FPS on the PS4. Likewise, Red Dead Redemption 2, another sprawling open-world title, also runs at 30 FPS on current-gen hardware.

These precedents raise doubts about whether GTA 6 can offer a stable experience on the standard PS5, especially given the potential for overheating and performance throttling.

Will the PS5 be forced to compromise as next-gen games push hardware limits?

While many players find 30 FPS acceptable, when coupled with reduced texture detail and lower resolution, it could impact the overall gameplay experience. The recent overheating issues observed in Death Stranding 2 may signal broader limitations, hinting that GTA 6 could demand more than the PS5 is currently able to deliver. This raises broader concerns about whether Sony's console is equipped to handle the next wave of graphically intensive games without forcing compromises on quality or risking hardware longevity.