Fifteen years ago, Rockstar Games dropped Red Dead Redemption and forever changed the open-world landscape. And then, can you believe it? You just can’t stop talking about this game until now. Rockstar’s anniversary tweet served as a launch site for a tsunami of nostalgic comments, hot takes, and honest-to-goodness love letters about John Marston’s wild west adventure.
For one, RDR just has that different impact on folks today. Ooooh, TheRealAckry almost went wild, all caps, saying both RDR games were “AHEAD OF THEIR TIME,” and I think that’s basically true. How Rockstar built that world in 2010? Unreal! The story? Chef’s kiss. And don’t get me started on the ending that still hurts so badly (I’m looking at you, Art_inPlay, with your “John didn’t deserve that fate” tweet – Too soon! Too soon!).
Others are just discovering this jewel. YngJackieAprile said they’re playing it on Switch recently, cool, while Aldy_Pranatha wonders if they should play RDR1 after doing RDR2 (short answer: YES. Long answer: YEEEEEEESSSSS).
Replies are at high level of excitement, starting with Fox10Tango remembering John Marston’s iconic line during the skinning process, “Oh lord, this is nasty” (admittedly so), while JakeTheL3mur states it is their second-to-favorite game EVER. Even Steven_IGORFAN dived a little deeper saying it is “the best game they have made,” and with GTA in the catalog; that’s saying something.
But here’s the tea – the fans want more Red Dead content. Lonwos outright requested a current-gen patch for RDR2 (Rockstar, I hope you guys see this). At the same time, sjfostersound reckons us getting a new RDR game is more likely than a Bully sequel after GTA6 drops. And gamer81_paul are out here spreading rumors about RDR3 like it has been confirmed (it’s not…but also…👀).
It’s amusing how some people are still being introduced to the game’s basics. When cmhnd35 asked, “how long is this game?”, gamer81_paul answered with “20 to 30 hours for main story” + all that juicy side content. Like bro, you’re in for a RIDE.
And can we talk about how Funterstatic came in HOT with that “gaming has fallen off” take? Arguing that the best games are all pre-2020? Oof. That’s a whole debate for another day, but…they might have a point when games like RDR exist.
Fifteen years later, here we are – still obsessing over horse physics, still getting emotional about that ending, and still hoping Rockstar will shower us with more. Whether you played it when it was brand new or were one of those who discovered it on Switch, there’s one obvious fact: Red Dead Redemption isn’t just a game; it’s a whole vibe that’s been aging much like a fine bottle of whiskey. Here’s to another fifteen years of debating whether it’s better than RDR2 (it is) while we wait for that mythical next-gen patch. It’s never going to happen, but a cowboy is allowed to dream.
