AsRed Dead Redemption 2closes in on its fourth anniversary,fans continue to ponder whether Rockstar Games currently have any plans for a future project. After recentlystepping away from the development ofGTA 5and its online mode, it appears as though thesame applies toRed Dead Redemption 2as players continue to anticipate a reveal forGTA 6.
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Despite there being no official confirmation of a third installment in theRed Dead Redemptionseries and certainly not any time soon, given the importance of development onGTA 6, fans will still be expecting a future announcement regardless of how far away it may be.
6Jack Marston Story
Within the present timeline of theRed Dead Redemptionworld and where players left off in the first game’s ending, a jump back to this would see players control John Marston’s son Jack.
Whilst this is possible, it would more than likely require Rockstar to change the title or abandon the Wild West era, as the time in whichRed Dead Redemption 1’s epilogue takes place is indeed leading up to the end of that era. In the idea that Rockstar chooses to resume its focus on the Marston family, there would need to be a clear and drastic change to the themes and general format that would move away from previousRed Deadtitles.
5New Characters
One factor of a potential future title that is highly likely is the introduction of a new set of characters. BothRed Dead Redemption1 and 2 contain the pivotal focus of the Dutch Van Der Linde gang, as this eventually led to the start and the end of John Marston’s life. This would give Rockstar the freedom to remain or go further back in terms of the setting and context.
While this would be ideal in the idea of maintaining theRed Deadformula, a jump in time beyond theWild West eraand a set of new characters is not out of the equation, but this would be dependent on whether Rockstar would be willing to change the usual themes.
4More Dialogue Story Choices
Rockstar Games are famous for theimplementation of choices in their titles, which have become more impactful and important with the releases. It has given players factors such as replayability to choose a different approach in play style, specifically with the honor system inRed Dead Redemption 2.
This is an element that many RPG games possess, and whilst this is established as an action-adventure title, it is beneficial as it makes the title less linear and more unique. Expanding on this much further in a future title, to a point where decisions have an everlasting effect on the story, would ultimately heighten players' experiences to something never seen before in Rockstar games.
3Romance Options
Multiple Rockstar projects have contained elements of romance, especially inGTA 4,until it was less prominent in the series' next rendition. Despite this, it was not present whatsoever inRed Dead Redemption 2,apart from a few interactions between Arthur and his former lover Mary.
Whilst this does not stand as a must for future projects and is less of an important factor given the game’s context and circumstances, it would certainly be an appreciated and appropriate addition, further increasing players' immersion. This was well received in Square Enix’sSleeping Dogs,a title which is often compared to theGrand Theft Autofranchisedue to its open-world nature, so an expansion on this would be befitting.
2Undercover Lawman Story
Fans who are familiar with each ofRed Dead Redemption 2’s endings will be aware of the outrage towards the character of Micah Bell, who worked with the Pinkertons to set up the Dutch Van Der Linde gang. When considering this, players may be against any idea of playing as a character working with the law. As both titles are centered around the activities of the gang while having two of its members as main characters, a shift towards players having a story focused on the control of a lawman may give a fresh feel that fans could potentially become accustomed to.
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Aside fromLA Noire, the large majority of Rockstar titles are based and narrowed down on criminals, heists, and other offenses akin to that of an outlaw. If Rockstar wishes to maintain this, a similar character to emulate would beWei Shen from, yet again,Sleeping Dogs, who tiptoes on the line of a genuine gang member whilst abiding by his job as an undercover police officer.
1Character Swap
In the aftermath of the game’s third act, players resume the role of John Marston after the death of Arthur Morgan. This was the mostRed Dead Redemption 2had to give in the element of character switching, which is pivotal inGTA 5,featuring three different characters to use throughout the main portion of the story. Some fans may have been expecting Rockstar to include this in the Western title but ultimately kept to its roots based on the first entry.
If fans are due to receive a future title in the series, character switching will play a massive part in the game’s reception, which would more than likely be positive, depending on how this is executed. In the meantime, players look ahead to any close announcements of Rockstar’s latest project.
Red Dead Redemption 2is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC
