Grand Theft Auto V for the PS3 and Xbox 360 leaked out this past week through various means. Some individuals who downloaded and installed the game on hacked consoles also explored the files that make up the game Friday and found a couple of bits of code that reference both the PS4 and PC.
There have long been rumors that a PC version of GTA V was coming down the pipeline including a slip of the tongue by an executive from graphics card manufacture Nvidia. PS4 and Xbox One versions also leaked out on Amazon Germany before they were pulled down. However, a Google Cache still exists for both.
However, a user at the underground 4Chan forum posted an XML file which was shared on Reddit and Pastebin that looks like it handles build configurations references both the PC and "Orbis" - the codename for the Playstation 4 operating system.
While it is entirely possible that the PC reference could just be because the game is developed on PCs before being ported to consoles, the PS4 entry is definitely of interest and should add fuel to the fire that a next-gen release is happening for one of the most highly sought after titles this year.
So why would Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive decide not to announce a PS4 or Xbox One version of GTA V? Simply put, the developer and publisher have reportedly sunk $266 million into the development and marketing of the game making it the most expensive game ever made. Announcing that the game is coming to next-gen consoles prior to its launch would suppress sales of the current-gen version as some gamers would wait.
An example of this has already been witnessed with Madden NFL 25 as it sold approximately 500,000 less copies than last year's edition as may gamers decided to wait on the sideline for the football sim to hit the PS4 and Xbox One.
Grand Theft Auto V launches Sept. 17 for the PS3 and Xbox 360 with the multiplayer component, Grand Theft Auto Online, coming Oct. 1.
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