Highlights
- Evidence found in the Nintendo Switch version of Red Dead Redemption suggests it was originally intended to be a remaster instead of a port.
- Fans were disappointed when it was revealed that the game would just be an upscaled port with a high price.
- Speculation suggests Rockstar may have scrapped its plans for a Red Dead Redemption remaster after the negative reaction to the GTA Trilogy remaster.
There is evidence within the files of the Nintendo Switch version of Red Dead Redemption that suggests that it was originally going to be a remaster instead of just a port of the original game. Many fans had wanted to see the original Red Dead Redemption be re-released on modern platforms for many years, so it was surprising when Rockstar Games revealed that the first Red Dead Redemption would be coming only to the PS4 and Switch.
Fan expectations were tempered a bit when it was revealed this game would be an up-scaled port of the original, along with the price of the Red Dead Redemption port being higher than expected. The lack of a PC or next-gen console version did not help the situation either. Despite these complaints, the re-release managed to top the charts on both PS4 and Switch. The gameplay and graphics are mostly the same, though the newer ports do have some textures that are clearer than the original versions. Thanks to the efforts of some hackers, it seems the original scope of this port was for it to be a remaster.
This report was made by Vadim M. on Twitter, who specializes in making in-depth Grand Theft Auto videos that investigate the rare and obscure sides of the series. They received images that the Red Dead Redemption port had some internal data that initially called it "RDR Remaster." Double Eleven Studios, the developer chosen to assist with the conversion process, apparently left some data in the Switch version that referred to an executable known as "rdrremaster.exe" as well.
According to Vadim, Rockstar may have ditched the idea of making "remasters" after the vitriolic backlash that the Grand Theft Auto trilogy remaster received, where all three games had suffered from bugs, glitches, and other problems. They theorize that with Red Dead Redemption playing it safe by being a port, a possible Grand Theft Auto 4 re-release would also play it safe by just being a conversion for the same platforms.
They note that it is only a few days after the digital release of the Switch and PS4 versions of the game, and that the leaked symbols could mean anything, and it's too early to tell what the string actually means. They do note the string is referenced a few times internally, however. While the performance of Red Dead Redemption on the new platforms is fine, some fans lament that Rockstar didn't dedicate enough time and resources to make a proper remaster of the original game.
Red Dead Redemption is available now for PS3, PS4, Switch, and Xbox 360.
