Even though Rockstar may be focusing its attention on the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 right now, many players are wondering what the future of Red Dead Redemption will entail. As of now, the studio seems to have moved away from Red Dead Online and there is no DLC content in sight, so all eyes are on when the inevitable Red Dead Redemption 3 will be revealed. While there are many directions the studio could take this next chapter, a prequel may be the best route forward.
So far, the entire Red Dead Redemption franchise has been built on the concept of prequels. Instead of moving the plot forward, Rockstar seems more interested in taking the story into the past. With the introduction of characters like Arthur Morgan, it has given itself even more opportunities to do just that. So, while some may want to see the life of Jack Marston, the franchise could do a lot more by exploring the even earlier days of the Van Der Linde Gang.
Red Dead Redemption May Want to Continue Going Backwards
Red Dead Has Only Really Dealt With Prequels So Far
Although Red Dead Revolver is technically part of the Red Dead franchise, the Red Dead Redemption series kicked-off with John Marston's iconic adventure in 2010. It brought players through a wonderful recreation of the American frontier in a story that many would not soon forget. Players followed him as he hunted down people from his past, fought his way through the Wild West, and ultimately met his end at the hands of a U.S. Army unit.
While Red Dead Redemption ended with players in control of John Marston's son Jack, Rockstar chose not to further expand upon that story with the sequel. Instead, it took players further back in time to the fall of the Van Der Linde gang and put them in control of Arthur Morgan. He was also forced to fight his way through the Wild West, defend himself against his old allies, and would also ultimately die. Just like with the first game, players would end their journey as John Marston, setting up the events of Red Dead Redemption.
Arthur Morgan Has Many More Stories Left to Tell
That makes two games where players start as one protagonist before they are killed and must take the role of another. Additionally, the only sequel that Rockstar has made took the franchise back rather than forward. This means that, although that could change with the third one, there is a strong chance the studio continues down this path. Luckily, Arthur Morgan has many more stories left to tell.
Red Dead Redemption 3 could show players the earliest days of the Van Der Linde gang, with it possibly exploring how the group first started. Just like with the first two games, players could assume control of another gang member that didn't live long enough to participate in the events of Red Dead Redemption 2. Players could watch from afar as Arthur Morgan becomes who he is, and, at the end, take control of Arthur after the game's protagonist perishes.
There is also a chance that Rockstar may not want to repeat this formula a third time. Red Dead Redemption 3 may be the studio's chance to take the franchise in a whole new direction, and possibly even explore something completely disconnected from what came before. Nevertheless, the characters Rockstar created are still rife with storytelling potential, which makes another prequel sound extremely promising.
Red Dead Redemption 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- October 26, 2018
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Engine
- RAGE
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- N/A
WHERE TO PLAY
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age.
