Phantom Vice Auto Steam Early Access: Windows 11 Specs, Kernel Anti-Cheat and GTA 6 Launch-Day Timing

The launch-day collision​

The timing drew attention quickly. GTA 6 launches that day on PS 5 and Xbox, while Rockstar has yet to announce a PC version. Complex reported that GTA 6 preorders are live for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S ahead of the November 19 launch, while Rockstar still hasn't offered a PC date or PC preorders.

Rockstar has done this before. Complex noted that Grand Theft Auto V followed a similar path, initially launching on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in September 2013 before reaching PC in April 2015, and Red Dead Redemption 2 arrived on consoles in October 2018 and PC roughly a year later. If that pattern holds, PC players could wait a long time. Phantom Vice Auto is aiming at that gap.

Section summary: The same-day release is confirmed by both the Steam listing and Rockstar's console date. Nothing announced so far points to a GTA VI PC release on November 19.

What the trailer shows​

GameLuster, citing Polygon's look at the trailer, says the footage shows:

• Free-roam driving with at least four vehicle types
• A choice of five guns
• Pedestrians you can interact with
• Parkour-style movement animations

PC Gamer reached the same car count in July, listing a buggy, an SUV, a sedan, and a sports car, and… yeah, there's four cars. The coverage has generally been mocking. PC Gamer also joked that the game shows the word "Wasted" on the screen when you get killed.

GameLuster adds that the trailer Polygon reviewed is more than a year old. It also reports that Brgames' website says development started in 2024 and that the team, at last count, was three people. We could not verify those studio details independently. According to GameLuster, Polygon called the material amateurish. Polygon also questioned marketing copy that calls an early-access debut "upgraded for a new generation," which is language you would expect on a remaster. GameLuster also relays Polygon's broader point: low-effort clones can crowd storefronts and make it harder for original indie games to get noticed. The same piece acknowledges that three developers going up against the most expensive game ever made takes some nerve.

Section summary: The footage suggests a basic driving-and-shooting sandbox. Critics are mostly skeptical, with some grudging respect for the nerve.

What the Steam page promises​

The store page goes much further than the trailer. It describes Phantom City with three protagonists: a street-smart hustler, a disgraced former agent and a cold-blooded mercenary. It also advertises Phantom Vice Online, a shared mode for up to 32 players with co-op heists, turf wars, races, clubs and real estate. Other listed features include ray-traced lighting, NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR support, and DirectStorage integration.

The Early Access section is more modest. There, the developer says:

• The core systems are complete, and mechanics will be refined based on player feedback
• The current version includes core story missions, free roaming, a variety of vehicles and open-world gameplay, but some features are still in development
• The full release is planned to add missions, story content, vehicles, character development systems, online features, and graphics and optimization improvements, all described as subject to change
• Early Access should last about 6 to 12 months, which is also subject to change
• The starting price will be lower during Early Access and will rise over time. The page does not list a launch price

ThePCEnthusiast reads the same page this way: Phantom Vice Auto is promising a large open world, three protagonists, story missions, vehicles, heists and an online mode supporting as many as 32 players. How much of that vision will be ready on November 19 remains to be seen.

The developer says missions are in the current build. Polygon, as relayed by GameLuster, doubts the launch build will live up to the page. Keep the two claims separate: one is the developer's own marketing, and the other is critics' skepticism.

Check your PC before you wishlist​

The requirements section is where Windows users get useful information. Steam lists these minimums:

Several points stand out:

1. Windows 10 is not listed. The minimum OS is Windows 11 24H2. If you are still on Windows 10 or an older Windows 11 release, check your version first. Press Win+R, type winver and press Enter.
2. The DirectX line doesn't match the features. The page lists DirectX 10, yet it advertises ray tracing and DirectStorage. As a matter of general industry knowledge, both of those are DirectX 12-era technologies. This looks like copy that was never proofread, and it adds to the doubts about the rest of the page.
3. The recommended specs are an odd mix. A 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X3D is listed next to a last-generation RTX 3080. That pairing doesn't look like the result of real performance testing.
4. There is extra software on top of Steam. The listing requires a Brgames account and an internet connection for activation, online play and periodic entitlement checks. Required installs include the Brgames Launcher, Chromium, the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable, and authentication, DRM and anti-cheat software. Steam also flags kernel-level anti-cheat (Easy Anti-Cheat) and a third-party EULA.
5. Monetization is disclosed. The page lists in-game purchases, including chance-based purchases.

Steam also warns that requirements may change during development. Treat these numbers as provisional, not as benchmarks.

Section summary: The page asks for a modern Windows 11 PC and kernel-level anti-cheat before anyone has seen a playable build, and its technical details don't agree with each other.

Balanced view​

Should the bigger studio be the only one allowed to launch that day? Of course not. Steam Early Access is open to anyone, and small teams make ambitious promises all the time. As gta6-news.net put it, since Phantom Vice Auto has not launched, its technical quality and overall scope cannot yet be independently judged from a finished public version. GAMES.GG also allowed that the timing is either an extremely bold marketing move or a complete coincidence, and either way it has generated more attention than the game would have otherwise received.

It is also true that a GTA-like name and logo, big-budget marketing copy, and a strict DRM and kernel anti-cheat setup make this a launch to watch before you buy.

What to watch on November 19​

• Whether the three protagonists and story missions can actually be played
• Whether the 32-player online mode works at launch or is still planned for later
• Real-world performance compared with those unusual specs
• The launch price, and how often the developer ships updates after release

Steam's standard refund policy gives buyers some protection. Waiting a few days for the first user reviews costs nothing, and GTA VI isn't coming to your PC this week anyway.