Highlights
- Fans' hopes for a Red Dead Redemption remake have been dashed as Rockstar announces ports for Nintendo Switch and PS4 instead.
- The ports will be released on August 17 with physical copies available on October 13, but they don't include the original game's multiplayer mode.
- A potential remake could have recontextualized the story around Red Dead Redemption 2 , but with the recent port announcement, it seems fans will have to wait years for a remake, if it ever happens.
Red Dead Redemption has been at the top of fans' minds in recent weeks as rumors began circulating of a potential remake or remaster for the title. A project such as this has long been desired by the franchise's community, who see a remake as the next logical step for the IP following the success of 2018's RDR2.
Recent developments made the possibility of a Red Dead Redemption remaster quite likely, although these hopes have now been dashed by Rockstar. With the company instead revealing that RDR will receive ports for the Nintendo Switch and PS4 in the near future, it seems that any hopes of an upcoming remaster for the game have bitten the dust.
Red Dead Redemption's PS4 and Switch Ports
It has now been confirmed that Red Dead Redemption will be coming to Nintendo Switch and PS4 on August 17, with physical copies of the ports being available on October 13. Retailing at $49.99, the releases are the first time that Red Dead is available on a Nintendo platform, while allowing the game to be played on PS5 consoles through backwards compatibility.
The ports include the full singleplayer campaign, as well as the beloved Undead Nightmare zombie DLC. Sadly, the ports do not include the original game's enjoyable multiplayer mode, which is already leading some to question the price tag of the upcoming ports. With these ports offering no graphical enhancements or 60 FPS, a little disappointment among fans is justified. When considering how fans were expecting a much larger project, the announcement of the ports is decidedly bittersweet.
The Demand and Benefits of a Red Dead Redemption Remaster
Ever since the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, fans have been well aware of the possibility of a remaster for its 2010 predecessor. With RDR2 being such a large-scale project involving most of the cast from the original game, while even taking place in many of the same areas, it seems that a lot of the groundwork for a Red Dead remake in the more modern RDR2 engine had already been done.
While many iconic older titles may get the remake treatment for the sake of graphical improvement, there is a clear need for the story of RDR to be recontextualized around its later prequel. Things like references to Arthur Morgan could easily be added within a Red Dead remake, creating a seamless narrative experience between the two games. Elements such as this were exactly why fans were so excited about rumors suggesting a remake.
With RDR2 nearing five years since its release, excitement within the franchise's community has begun to wane, and a remake would have been the perfect way to tide fans over until the next major Rockstar release. These announced ports have seemingly had an opposite impact to many fans, who were expecting a much more fleshed-out and modern take on the classic title.
Of course, Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to launch within the next few years, and a Red Dead remake could have been the near-future release to keep players engaged. This would have only worked in a very specific timeframe which has now passed, and it's now unlikely that a remake will release any closer to GTA 6's launch.
This sadly means that fans will likely have to wait years for a potential remake of RDR, if it ever comes out at all. While signs did seem to point to a remake, the recent port news for Red DeadRedemption seems to have finally laid these dreams to rest.
Red Dead Redemption is available now for PS3 and Xbox 360, and releases on August 17 for PS4 and Switch.
