GTA V arrives on Android with an unofficial port; Pixel phones will never see it

As the wait for the sixth chapter of the Rockstar Games saga draws to a close with the launch planned for next month, an independent initiative brings attention back to its illustrious predecessor, GTA 5.

One developer, known by the pseudonym “mojso“, has indeed announced that he is working on an unofficial port of Grand Theft Auto V for Android devices, drawing on the experience gained with a similar operation recently completed for Nintendo Switch.

Although the project may generate enthusiasm, the technical specifications and the hardware limitations imposed outline a selective framework, excluding several user segments.

GTA 5 on Android? Yes, but not for everyone

The information disclosed via Discord by Mojso himself outlines an ambitious project but with clearly defined boundaries. To run the Los Santos raids smoothly on their own touch screens, users will need a device with mid-to-high-end specifications.

The minimum requirement is a chipset Snapdragon 865 or higher, paired with 8 GB of RAM and a free storage space equal to 65 GB. The operating system must be updated to at least Android 13

The developer notes that, although execution is technically possible even on Snapdragon processors from previous generations, he cannot guarantee optimal performance and a gaming experience free of bugs or slowdowns.

Considering the vastness of GTA V’s open-world, these are relatively modest requests, given that the original title was conceived for consoles belonging to two generations ago.

An encouraging detail emerges for Galaxy smartphone owners equipped with Exynos chip: the GPU Samsung Xclipse, like the one present in the Exynos 1480 of the Galaxy A55 5G, will be supported from the early release stages. It is also planned, at a later stage, to support devices equipped with GPU Mali.

The situation is getting more complicated for people who own smartphones with different designs. The developer was unequivocal regarding the Tensor chips with PowerVR GPUs, the ones that power the latest generations of Google Pixel: these processors will never be supported. The same fate will befall MediaTek’s Helio processors, the MediaTek, which effectively excludes a large portion of budget devices.

Legal obstacles and uncertainties

Despite the project’s appeal, there are reasons to exercise caution. The previous port for Nintendo Switch, according to various reports, was developed using stolen source code following a data breach that occurred in 2023.

It is highly likely that the same starting base is used for this Android version as well. This circumstance exposes the project to a very high risk of legal reprisals by Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games, who are unlikely to tolerate such a violation of their intellectual property.

Consequently, it could prove extremely difficult to obtain the installation file from reliable and safe sources.

These considerations are also accompanied by doubts about the developer’s identity and experience, as well as the methodologies used. The use of artificial intelligence in software development is now widespread practice, but the outcome varies greatly depending on the skills of those who manage it.

A skilled programmer can use AI to speed up code writing, constantly verifying its correctness, logic, and absence of vulnerabilities. Conversely, blindly relying on automatically generated code by less qualified individuals can result in unstable software, plagued by serious performance issues, not to mention the potential privacy and security risks for the end user.

This uncertainty is also fueled by online reports of a supposed GTA V Android port already made by another developer, operating in China. However, given the lack of clarity about the project’s origins and the dubious provenance of download links, we strongly advised against attempting the installation.

Awaiting more concrete developments, mojso’s initiative remains a fascinating experiment that demonstrates the remarkable hardware capabilities reached by today’s smartphones.