The Nintendo Switch is finally able to run Rockstar Games’ open world action adventure game, GTA V, just not officially.
YouTuber Geekerwan has shared a video of a hacked Nintendo Switch running GTA V, Devil May Cry 5, and God of War on the Linux operating system. While the game runs at a frame rate that hovers in the single digits and is pretty much unplayable, it’s impressive that the console/handheld hybrid is even able to boot and run the game, given its CPU limitations. It’s worth mentioning that the PC version of GTA V is based on the PS4/Xbox One version of the game and not the PS3/Xbox 360 original.
Meanwhile, Devil May Cry 5 fares somewhat better in the sense that it is able to run at a frame rate in the 15 to 20 fps range during gameplay. While it is still quite unplayable, it’s impressive to see a game that targets the PS4 and Xbox One as the baseline run on the Switch at all.
God of War, a game originally developed exclusively for the PS4, is also able to run at a frame rate that usually hovers in the single digits on the Nintendo Switch. While unplayable, it’s impressive to see that the game runs at all, and that a version optimized for the platform could theoretically have done a better job of targeting a frame rate of 30 fps.
Previously, Microsoft appeared to have confirmed that a brand new Nintendo Switch model, possibly the previously rumored “Pro” version, has been in development. As part of the trial between the FTC and Microsoft over the latter’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, judge Corley’s written ruling mentioned that Call of Duty is scheduled for release on a unreleased Nintendo Switch model that has been in development. This suggests that the next console from Nintendo may be an iterative version of the Switch rather than a full fledged successor.