Virtuos, the port specialist studio behind the 2017 Nintendo Switch adaptation of L.A. Noire, has expressed a strong desire to bring more landmark Rockstar Games titles to Nintendo’s hardware. In a recent interview with Pocket Tactics, the developer revealed that its team is actively eager to adapt both Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 for the platform, provided the publisher grants them the opportunity.
The announcement highlights a significant shift in how mature, resource-intensive titles are handled on Nintendo consoles. Historically, Nintendo platforms struggled to shed a family-friendly image, frequently missing out on major M-rated releases during the GameCube, Wii, and Wii U eras. However, the Switch generation has successfully reversed this trend, attracting major mature franchises and previously hosting Rockstar releases like Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition and the 2023 port of the original Red Dead Redemption.
While Virtuos has not partnered with Rockstar since its work on L.A. Noire—spending recent years contributing to major projects like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond—the studio remains highly qualified for the task. Bringing Grand Theft Auto 5 to a Nintendo platform represents a logical business progression for Take-Two Interactive, given the game has already achieved more than 200 million copies sold worldwide. Extending its reach to Nintendo’s massive player base offers a lucrative avenue to maximize profits on existing assets as modern development costs continue to escalate.
Ultimately, the decision rests entirely with Rockstar Games, which has previously utilized other port specialists like Double Eleven for its hardware translations. Additionally, it remains unclear whether the technical demands of Red Dead Redemption 2 or Grand Theft Auto 5 would require severe performance compromises on the current Switch, or if such ambitious projects are instead being positioned for the rumored Switch 2 hardware. Until an official announcement is made, these prospective ports remain speculative, though Virtuos’s public enthusiasm confirms that industry interest in expanding Rockstar’s portable catalog remains high.
