When gamers think about the old west in video games, chances are characters like Red Dead Redemption's John Marston and Arthur Morgan are among the first things to come to mind. Their appearances and illustrations are as iconic as Red Dead Redemption itself, so finding them somewhere outside the world of the game may come as a surprise.
One such appearance surprised a fan of the series recently, after they discovered a large mural depicting Arthur Morgan. Anyone who has played Red Dead Redemption 2 will recognize it, as it's the same image utilized on the cover of the game.
The place in question was brought to fellow fans' attention by Reddit user Goldiestein. The restaurant is called Native Slider and is a Western-style restaurant, offering American-style fare. Located in Kuwait, the shared photo reveals a wall mural that can be seen through the front windows of the restaurant. Other photos of the location show that an additional mural of the same image of Arthur appears to be on the exterior of the building, alongside a silhouette of cowboys.
Fans responding to Goldiestein's post were quick to joke about Rockstar Games' lawyers rushing to Kuwait. Rockstar Games and its parent company Take-Two have been shown to be very protective of their intellectual properties, striking down fan mods of its games regularly. It's extremely unlikely that this image is being used with permission, though given the geographical location of the restaurant, it seems less likely that Rockstar will pursue legal action against the store. Others quipped about what might be served there, referencing the common ingredients and food found in-game.
It's unclear at this time whether the proprietor is a fan of Red Dead Redemption themselves, or if they're even aware of the origin of the art. It's possible they hired someone to create some Western-themed illustrations for the location, and the artist may have recreated the box art without informing the owner. In either case, though, this isn't the first time that Arthur's likeness has been utilized to try and sell something outside of the United States. Fans previously discovered a screenshot of John Marston being used on a box of boots.
The next game in the Red Dead Redemption series is rumored to be under development, exciting fans about what's ahead. Unfortunately, based on the Google Business listing for the restaurant, it looks like the Native Slider location is now permanently closed, so fans in the region can only get a peek, rather than trying it out for themselves. They'll just have to be content to visit a saloon or stew pot as Arthur themselves in-game.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
Source: Reddit