After selling more than 180 million copies, it seems there's nowhere else to go for GTA V but down. The key word here is "seems" because, as official 2023 financial reports showed, GTA Online is still pulling in over $700 million yearly. It's on three different console generations and PC, and while it's not officially on Nintendo Switch, someone made it run on it regardless. Will Nintendo follow up with legal action? Seeing how strict they are with emulators and tinkering on their precious console.
A tech YouTuber from the "Geekerwan" channel recently "made headlines" thanks to a recent video. He hacked a Nintendo Switch console and made it run Android and Linux.
The Switch doesn't run anything besides its proprietary OS (operating system), so what this person did is impressive and cool, at least for an "uber nerd," to use the correct technical term.
After installing Android on it, it behaved like a typical Android tablet, albeit with hardware limitations. The console is over 6 years old, at the end of the day.
Now for the really, really exciting part! After he installed Linux on the Switch, it basically turned into a lousier-specced Steam Deck. Among the first games he tried was Titanfall 2, a fantastic single-player shooter.
Then he moved on to Devil May Cry 5, a great action hack-and-slash. God of War was next, one of the best games ever created by man. Finally, he tested Grand Theft Auto 5, one of the best-selling video games in history.
Don't imagine these games ran like the wind on Switch, especially the newer ones. God of War barely made up to 12 fps (frames per second). Titanfall 2 ran at 35 fps, although unstable framerates are the last thing you think about when it comes to shooters.
As for the main event, GTA V was set at 720p on the lowest settings but was barely running. It fought more for its life than anything else, at 3-4 frames per second.
The fact that the games behaved poorly doesn't surprise anyone who is mildly interested in gaming technology, but it worked, which is the true miracle of Christmas.
Other handhelds like the Steam Deck can rest assured knowing the Switch isn't moving in on its OS territory.
Speaking about superior handhelds, the unofficially named "Switch 2" subject came up recently during the FTC debacle. Microsoft was under oath when it said the Switch 2 could come as early as next year.
However, in May, Nintendo clarified that they won't launch any new hardware until the end of the current fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2024. That doesn't automatically mean it will hit shelves on April 1, but at least we have an estimated window.
Can you imagine if GTA VI comes out on Switch 2? That would likely push it past the 200 million mark at some point.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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