Red Dead Redemption is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time. The series, developed by Rockstar Games, follows the adventures of various outlaws and gunslingers in the American frontier during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first game, Red Dead Revolver, was released in 2004, followed by Red Dead Redemption in 2010 and Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018. The latter two games are widely regarded as some of the best games ever made, with immersive storytelling, stunning graphics, and engaging gameplay.
Fans of the series have been eagerly awaiting any news on the next installment, Red Dead Redemption 3. However, Rockstar Games has been notoriously secretive about their projects, and has not officially announced or confirmed anything about the game. However, there have been some hints and rumors that suggest that Red Dead Redemption 3 is indeed in the works. Here is everything we know so far about the possible sequel.
Red Dead Redemption 3 Confirmed by Take-Two Interactive
The most solid evidence that Red Dead Redemption 3 is in development comes from the parent company of Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactive. In September 2023, Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two, spoke at the Jefferies Virtual Global Interactive Entertainment Conference and confirmed that Red Dead Redemption 3 is coming at some point, according to Gaming Bible and UNILAD.
Zelnick compared the major franchises of Take-Two, such as Grand Theft Auto, NBA, and Red Dead Redemption, to James Bond, in that they will keep going as long as they are great and profitable. He said, “If it’s really, really great, it will keep going. I don’t know if you saw it, I just saw the new Bond film, that was great. You would like every franchise to be James Bond. There are precious few entertainment franchises of any sort that fall into that category, but they do exist. And I think GTA is one of them, I think Red Dead is one of them, NBA is obviously one of them because the game will continue to exist.”
However, Zelnick also stressed the importance of being thoughtful and willing to rest the titles, so that they feel like rare and special events. He said, “It also requires you to be thoughtful and willing to rest the titles, so you have a sense of, ‘wow, this is a rare event.’ I’ve always said that annualizing non-sports titles runs the risk of burning out the intellectual property, even if it’s good. So we take the time to make something we think is incredibly phenomenal, and we also rest titles intentionally so that there’s pent-up demand for that title, so it’s a special event.”
This implies that Red Dead Redemption 3 will not be released anytime soon, as Rockstar Games is currently working on another highly anticipated game, Grand Theft Auto 6. The gap between Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2 was eight years, so it is possible that the third game will take a similar amount of time, or even longer, to be completed.
Red Dead Redemption 3 Release Window Teased
While there is no official release date for Red Dead Redemption 3, some sources have suggested that the game’s release window has been teased by Take-Two Interactive. According to Mods Rant, an article from The Business Standard claimed that Zelnick revealed the release window for the game during the same conference where he confirmed its existence. The article stated that Zelnick said that the game will be released in the second half of 2029, which would mark the 11th anniversary of Red Dead Redemption 2.
However, this claim is dubious, as there is no direct quote from Zelnick to support it, and none of the other sources that reported on the conference mentioned anything about the release window. Moreover, the article from The Business Standard has since been deleted, which casts further doubt on its credibility. Therefore, it is likely that the release window for Red Dead Redemption 3 has not been teased, and remains unknown.
Red Dead Redemption 3 Story and Setting
Another aspect of Red Dead Redemption 3 that fans are curious about is the story and setting of the game. The previous two games followed the stories of John Marston and Arthur Morgan, two members of the Van der Linde gang, a notorious group of outlaws that operated in the dying days of the Wild West. Both games explored themes of redemption, loyalty, morality, and survival, as the protagonists faced various enemies, challenges, and dilemmas.
Red Dead Redemption 2 was a prequel to Red Dead Redemption, showing the events that led to the downfall of the Van der Linde gang and the fate of its members. The game also introduced new characters, such as Sadie Adler, Charles Smith, and Micah Bell, who played important roles in the story. The game also featured multiple endings, depending on the choices and actions of the player.
There are several possibilities for the story and setting of Red Dead Redemption 3, depending on whether it will be a sequel, a prequel, or a spin-off. Some fans have speculated that the game could follow the story of Jack Marston, the son of John Marston, who inherited his father’s legacy and skills. The game could show Jack’s life in the early 20th century, as he deals with the consequences of his actions at the end of Red Dead Redemption, and the changing world around him.
Another possibility is that the game could be a prequel to Red Dead Redemption 2, showing the origins of the Van der Linde gang and the backstory of its members. The game could explore the relationships and conflicts among the gang, as well as their encounters with other gangs, such as the O’Driscolls, the Braithwaites, and the Grays. The game could also feature characters that were only mentioned or briefly seen in the previous games, such as Mac Callander, Davey Callander, Annabelle, and Colm O’Driscoll.
A third possibility is that the game could be a spin-off, focusing on a different character or group of characters that are related to the main series, but not directly involved in the main story. For example, the game could follow the adventures of Sadie Adler, a widow who joined the Van der Linde gang after her husband was killed by the O’Driscolls. The game could show Sadie’s life after the events of Red Dead Redemption 2, as she becomes a bounty hunter and travels across the world. Alternatively, the game could follow the exploits of Charles Smith, a half-black, half-native American member of the Van der Linde gang, who also survived the events of Red Dead Redemption 2, and settled down with a native tribe in Canada.
As for the setting, the game could take place in a different region or country, such as Mexico, Canada, or even Europe, as some of the characters have hinted or expressed interest in traveling there. The game could also feature new locations, such as cities, towns, villages, forests, mountains, deserts, and rivers, that offer different opportunities and challenges for the player. The game could also expand on the existing locations, such as New Austin, West Elizabeth, New Hanover, Lemoyne, and Ambarino, and show how they have changed over time.
Red Dead Redemption 3 Gameplay and Features
The gameplay and features of Red Dead Redemption 3 are also unknown, but it is likely that the game will retain and improve on the core elements of the previous games, such as the open-world exploration, the combat system, the horse riding, the hunting, the fishing, the crafting, the mini-games, the side missions, the random events, and the moral choices. The game could also introduce new features, such as new weapons, vehicles, animals, plants, activities, and customization options, that enhance the gameplay and immersion.
One of the most anticipated features of Red Dead Redemption 3 is the online mode, which allows players to create their own characters and interact with other players in the game’s world. The online mode of Red Dead Redemption 2, called Red Dead Online, was launched in 2018, and has received regular updates and expansions since then. The online mode features various modes, such as free roam, story missions, competitive matches, cooperative missions, races, and events, that offer different rewards and challenges for the players.
Red Dead Online also features a role-playing system, which allows players to choose and progress through different roles, such as bounty hunter, trader, collector, moonshiner, naturalist, and prestidigitator, each with their own perks, abilities, and activities. The online mode also features a battle pass system, called the Outlaw Pass, which allows players to unlock various items, such as outfits, weapons, horses, emotes, and camp upgrades, by completing challenges and earning experience points.
Red Dead Redemption 3 could expand on the online mode of Red Dead Redemption 2, by adding more modes, roles, items, and features, that cater to different play styles and preferences. The online mode could also feature cross-play and cross-progression, which would allow players to play with and switch between different platforms, such as PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, without losing their progress or items.
Red Dead Redemption 3 Conclusion
Red Dead Redemption 3 is one of the most awaited and speculated games of all time, but there is very little official information about it. The only thing that is confirmed is that the game is in development, but the release date, story, setting, gameplay, and features are still unknown. However, based on the
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