The Red Dead Redemption franchise is one of the most popular and well-received series of all time, and it is no secret why. Finding its roots in 2004, the Red Dead games are known for consistently building upon themselves and smashing expectations set by their predecessors.
That said, there has long been debate as to what the next step for Red Dead Redemption will be. While there are a range of options, many fans want to see a Red Dead title fully embrace and explore the death of the outlaw lifestyle. There is no better character to facilitate this than Jack Marston.
Red Dead Redemption's Existing Exploration Of the Dying West
One of the most consistent themes explored in 2010's Red Dead Redemption was taming the last frontier, the Wild West. Set primarily during the year 1911, fan-favorite protagonist John Marston has to grapple with the knowledge that the only way of life he has ever known, the way of the outlaw, is no longer feasible due to the rapid modernization of the times.
Many of John's friends and other companions were left behind, stuck in their ways and refusing to shift alongside society. This change is tangibly represented in the kinds of technology that feature in Red Dead Redemption, with the 1911 pistol and automobile starting to replace classic cowboy six-shooters and horseback travel. Although John is killed after hunting down his former gang-mates, one begrudging cowboy still exists in his son, Jack Marston.
How Red Dead Redemption 3 Could Explore the Last Cowboys
Although users can play as Jack Marston for Red Dead Redemption's post-game, the experience does not come close to fully fleshing out Jack's experience in the final years of the frontier. Although many have suggested a prequel to Red Dead 2 is the best course of action for a Red Dead Redemption 3, seeing Jack explore these momentous years would have a lot of possibilities.
Being set after the events of Red Dead Redemption, a Red Dead 3 with this kind of overarching narrative could lead into the First World War, which would be a fittingly transformative event to end the series' storyline. The game would foster a larger stage to explore the death of the Wild West, with a focus on the urbanization of previously secluded settlements in order to feature more elaborate and densely populated areas.
Because of its setting, the game could act as a kind of middle ground between the classic Red Dead and the Grand Theft Auto formulas, with an increased severity of wanted levels amid a more technologically advanced, populated, and accountable society. Jack would have to grapple with the decline of a way of life that he tried to avoid for so long, with his desire to avenge his father ultimately sealing his own fate.
The depth and inherent sadness that this would bring to the character of Jack Marston would make him more suited to the often emotional and lauded role of a Rockstar protagonist. The increased accountability for his crimes could even see him eventually fight in the First World War toward the end of the game, conveying a level and scale of barbaric warfare never before seen in Red Dead Redemption, barbarity that ironically stems from a more "civilized" age.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.