Rockstar Games' next project is bringingGrand Theft Auto 5andGTA Onlineto PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but fans are wondering what’s next for Rockstar after that. It’s safe to say many fans would prefer if Rockstar released a completely original game instead, but many others are hoping to see Rockstar remaster another one of its classic games for modern platforms, like 2010’sRed Dead Redemption.
The latestGrand Theft Auto 6leak, which is almost assuredly fake, claims that Rockstar is in fact working on aRed Dead Redemptionremaster, and that the game is actually going to launch beforeGrand Theft Auto 6. That same leak said that theGrand Theft Auto 6release date was 2023, and with Rockstar re-releasingGTA 5andGTA Onlinethis year, it stands to reason that the rumoredRed Dead Redemptionremaster would be on deck for 2022, in that case.
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Whilethat particularGrand Theft Auto 6leakis almost definitely fake, it would make sense for Rockstar Games to move forward with a properRed Dead Redemptionremaster for a number of reasons. So while it may or may not be the next game from the studio, here is why Rockstar Games should definitely consider aRed Dead Redemptionremaster at some point down the line.
At the time of this writing,Red Dead Redemptionis only officially available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It’s technically playable on newer hardware thanks to services like PlayStation Now and theXbox backward compatibility program, but even so, only PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the open world western game exist. And the game is only playable on consoles, as Rockstar Games never bothered to release a PC version ofRed Dead Redemption.
With noRed Dead RedemptionPC version, it’s safe to say that there are quite a few people who have never had the chance to properly experience the original game. The need for aRed Dead RedemptionPC version is even greater when one considers the fact thatRed Dead Redemption 2is available on PC. Those who exclusively game on PC may have been able to playRed Dead Redemption 2, but haven’t been able to playRed Dead Redemption.
PC gamers aren’t the only ones who only playedRed Dead Redemption 2and have never played the originalRed Dead Redemption. The originalRed Dead Redemptionwas a pretty big sales success, selling over 15 million copies during its run. However,Red Dead Redemption 2salesabsolutely blow theRed Dead Redemption 1sales out of the water, more than doubling the original game’s lifetime sales.
What this means is thatRed Dead Redemption 2has been played bymillionsmore people than the first game. With this success, Rockstar Games has significantly expanded the potential fanbase for aRed Dead Redemptionremaster, meaning such a game could potentially barrel past the sales of the original, especially if a lot of work is done to bring it up to modern standards.
What Happens Next
Out of the nearly 40 million people who purchasedRed Dead Redemption 2, around half of them likely have not played the firstRed Dead Redemptiongame. This means that they in turn do not know what happens next in the story. Because even though the game is calledRed Dead Redemption 2, it is in actuality a prequel to the firstRed Dead Redemptiongame, following the story ofArthur Morganand Dutch’s gang prior to the events ofRDR.
Red Dead Redemption 2has an award-winning storyline, and so it’s safe to say many fans who discovered the series with the most recent entry may be curious to see what happens next. They could hunt down an old copy of the firstRed Dead Redemptionand play that to find out, but the shock of going from the technological marvel that isRDR2to a much older game could keep them from properly enjoying the experience.
If Rockstar Games did move forward with aRed Dead Redemptionremaster, it wouldn’t need to rebuild the original game from the ground up. It could instead work on improving the graphics and animations to better match modern standards, though some may still prefer a full-blown remake. Imagine the scale ofRed Dead Redemption 2, but with the originalRed Dead Redemption’s gameplay and storyline.
This may be a bit too ambitious of an undertaking, but even some slight quality of life improvements and a graphical facelift could be enough to draw in plenty of fans who have never had the chance to play the originalRed Dead Redemptiongame. Comparing the sales of the originalRed Dead RedemptionwithRed Dead Redemption 2makes it clear that there are millions of people who fit into that category, and so if Rockstar doesn’t move forward with aRed Dead Redemptionremaster or re-release of some kind, it just seems like a massive missed opportunity.
Red Dead Redemptionis available for PS3 and Xbox 360.
