The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has seen its share of “well, crap” moments and this one just might add to the list: a new listing on the age rating organization mentions a Red Dead Redemption remaster might be on its way to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and Switch 2 — Undead Nightmares DLC included.
First of all, let’s all recognize the fact that, unlike other offers, Red Dead Redemption hasn’t exactly been “absent”: originally released in 2010 for the PlayStation 3, the game did get a PS4 version with some minor updates. That version is also playable on PS5, although not optimized to make the most of Sony’s latest platform’s upgraded hardware.
While the ESRB rating does not mention any upgrades (why would it, after all?), it does mention the usual: blood, gore, the use of firearms and adult-centered themes — these all have, obviously, ensured the supposed Red Dead Redemption remaster earn its “M for Mature” rating.
Will the Red Dead Redemption remaster change the game’s story?
There’s no reason to believe that an eventual Red Dead Redemption remaster — which would be, essentially, the same game with a few cosmetic upgrades — will bring any changes to its story.
The first game tells us the story of John Marston, a former member of the infamous Dutch Van Der Linde gang, who left his former comrades in order to build a life for himself on the “up and up” side of law. However, crooked detectives from the Pinkerton private investigation firm track him down, kidnap his family and force him to hunt down his old friends.
The second game, Red Dead Redemption 2, takes place many years before that, with John, now a secondary character, still part of the gang although having doubts due to him being married and having a young son. Arthur Morgan, second game’s lead character, is seen as John’s mentor figure of sorts.
While the story would likely remain the same, the Red Dead Redemption remaster could address some minor inconsistencies — Morgan being of such importance to John only to never being mentioned in the first game, for instance — but that’s highly unlikely as it would force Rockstar to record new lines, rehire some people…only to put out a game that’s essentially a visually upgraded version of what they did 15 years ago.
And that’s assuming the remaster is real, of course. Due to its secretive nature, Rockstar has not commented on the rumor, so as always, take it with a grain of salt.
