Grand Theft Auto 5’s PC Ray Tracing Update Might Be Giving Us a Sneak Peek at GTA 6

Twelve years after its original release, Grand Theft Auto 5 refuses to die—and Rockstar seems determined to keep it looking fresh. The latest PC update has finally introduced high-end ray tracing enhancements, bringing it in line with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions while even adding a few exclusive upgrades.

But here’s the real question: Why go through all this effort for a free update to an ageing game? Could this be Rockstar’s way of testing out GTA 6’s lighting and rendering tech in a live environment before the next-gen behemoth lands?

After diving into the new ray tracing global illumination (RTGI) system, reflections, and optimizations, the evidence suggests that GTA 6 could be using a very similar—if not evolved—version of the same tech.

Ray Tracing in Grand Theft Auto 5 – What’s Changed?

Rockstar’s new update for GTA 5 on PC has introduced:

• Ray Traced Global Illumination (RTGI), allowing for more realistic light bounce and shadow diffusion.
• Enhanced Ray Traced Reflections, making glass, water, and metal surfaces feel more lifelike.
• Optimized BVH structures, meaning more detailed ray-traced geometry compared to consoles.
• Better emissive lighting interactions, particularly with car headlights, streetlamps, and neon signs.

Essentially, these upgrades transform GTA 5’s lighting, making Los Santos feel more natural and immersive—especially during nighttime chases through neon-lit streets. But what’s interesting is how comprehensive these changes are—far beyond a simple “next-gen polish.”

Why GTA 5’s Ray Tracing Update Could Be a GTA 6 Tech Test

At first glance, adding advanced RTGI to GTA 5 might seem excessive for a 2013 game originally built for the Xbox 360 and PS3. Unlike quick graphical overhauls in other remasters, this update feels like something deeper—almost like a trial run for GTA 6’s rendering tech.

Here’s Why That Makes Sense:

1️⃣ Rockstar wouldn’t develop RTGI from scratch just for GTA 5—it makes more sense that this tech was created for GTA 6 first, then backported.

2️⃣ The RTGI implementation is far more advanced than usual for old games. Many remasters with ray tracing only apply it to direct sunlight (like Dying Light 2’s RTGI), but in GTA 5, every light source contributes to bounce lighting—a telltale sign of next-gen design.

3️⃣ The first GTA 6 trailer already showcases RTGI-like lighting behavior, suggesting that this is the very same tech Rockstar is using for its new open-world masterpiece.

Essentially, Rockstar could be stress-testing GTA 6’s lighting tech within GTA 5, using the massive PC player base as unwitting beta testers.

Comparing GTA 5’s RTGI to What We’ve Seen in GTA 6

From what we’ve seen in GTA 6’s first trailer, the lighting and reflections bear striking similarities to the upgraded GTA 5 PC version:

✅ Light bouncing off characters realistically – In both games, ambient light sources subtly affect character models, a major upgrade over static baked lighting.

✅ Per-pixel RTGI implementation – Unlike older methods that approximate lighting in blocks, GTA 6 (and the new GTA 5 update) calculates illumination down to the finest detail.

✅ Emissive lighting from objects – Neon signs, car headlights, and glowing billboards in GTA 6 behave exactly like those in the updated GTA 5, suggesting a shared lighting engine.

✅ Ray-traced reflections – Store windows in the GTA 6 trailer showcase near-identical per-pixel reflections to the new PC update, meaning Rockstar likely refined the tech in GTA 5 before applying it to GTA 6.

While it’s unlikely that every single GTA 5 RT upgrade will be in GTA 6, the overall tech appears to be nearly identical, reinforcing the theory that Rockstar is actively using GTA 5 as a next-gen lighting playground.

What This Means for GTA 6’s Performance on Consoles

One of the biggest concerns among fans is: Will GTA 6 run at 60FPS on consoles, given the heavy ray tracing?

While the new GTA 5 PC update runs at a locked 60FPS on an RTX 4060 (with 1440p DLSS 3 Quality Mode enabled), it’s a different story on consoles. Given that RTGI is CPU-intensive, the likely scenario for GTA 6 on PS5 and Xbox Series X is:

🟥 Native 4K / 30FPS with full RTGI enabled (likely the default mode)
🟩 Performance mode with 60FPS but lower RTGI quality/resolution scaling

This aligns with GTA 5’s RTGI heavily taxing CPUs, making it unlikely for Rockstar to achieve stable 60FPS with full ray tracing on current-gen consoles.

That said, Rockstar’s optimizations in GTA 5’s RTGI update are impressive, meaning that GTA 6’s RT implementation will likely be much more efficient than expected.

Why Rockstar’s Approach to Ray Tracing Matters for the Future of Open Worlds

GTA 6 isn’t just about better graphics—it’s about pushing open-world tech forward. With Rockstar moving towards real-time RTGI and per-pixel lighting solutions, we could see a new industry standard for open-world games that makes environments feel:

More immersive – Light sources will actually interact with the world naturally, rather than using pre-baked solutions.

More dynamic – Cars, explosions, and streetlights will all cast realistic lighting in real time.

More cinematic – Instead of the old static shadows and reflections, everything will react to movement, weather, and time of day.

With GTA 6 looking like Rockstar’s most ambitious project ever, their RTGI tests in GTA 5 prove that they’re serious about revolutionizing open-world visuals. And let’s be real—if Los Santos can look this good 12 years later, imagine what Vice City will look like in GTA 6.

Final Takeaway

Rockstar’s latest PC ray tracing update for GTA 5 isn’t just a random graphics overhaul—it’s a sneak peek at what we can expect in GTA 6. The RTGI system, per-pixel reflections, and overall lighting improvements in GTA 5’s update strongly match the lighting tech seen in the first GTA 6 trailer.

While we don’t have full confirmation, it seems likely that Rockstar is using GTA 5 as a testing ground for GTA 6’s next-gen lighting engine. So, if you’re playing GTA 5 on PC with the new RT settings, you’re probably getting a small taste of what GTA 6’s world will look like—just with fewer palm trees, more chaos, and slightly older character models. And if that’s the case? GTA 6 is about to blow our minds.