Since its formation in 1998, Rockstar Games has been a culture-defining force in gaming. The company has made waves through its various iconic franchises, including the Red Dead series, which lets gamers play as outlaws in the Wild West. 2010's Red Dead Redemption centers on John Marston, who finds himself forced to turn against members of his old gang after his loved ones are taken hostage by the government. Though the game is a resounding success that has sold 23 million copies to date, it is relatively aged, which has many gamers eager for a remake.
With Rockstar's recent trend of polishing and re-releasing its classic games for modern gamers, the idea of a Red Dead Redemption remake is not farfetched. However, the company should consider letting another studio deal with such a project. With the next Grand Theft Auto game in the pipeline, handing over a Red Dead Redemption remake project to a competent studio would help avoid unnecessarily dividing Rockstar's attention.
Rockstar Will Be All Hands On Deck for Grand Theft Auto 6
Rockstar Games is not a single studio, but is instead a family of worldwide studios which includes, but is not limited to: Rockstar Leeds, Rockstar New England, Rockstar North (responsible for the GTA series), Rockstar Toronto (responsible for PC ports of several GTA games), and Rockstar San Diego, which is responsible for the Midnight Club and Red Dead series. Though the studios are far apart, they do work together when larger projects require it.
Over the years, Rockstar's games have grown larger in scope, thanks to the company's reputation for delivering games rich in detail and intricate open-world design. This was taken to extremes with Red Dead Redemption 2, which was released in 2018 and serves as a prequel to its predecessor. Set in the pre-industrial USA during the dusk of the era of outlaws, the game follows Arthur Morgan and his gang as it disintegrates. The game was a passion project for Rockstar, and it is estimated that over half a billion was spent on marketing and development, making it one of the most expensive games ever made.
To make the game a reality, Rockstar drew from all its worldwide studios, resulting in around 2000 people working on the game. Despite the colossal amount of manpower available, there were still reports that employees were subjected to excessive crunch time at Rockstar. According to gaming journalist Jason Schreier, the company underwent significant internal cultural changes in response to the deluge of complaints from workers following Red Dead Redemption 2.
Rockstar has confirmed that its focus is directed toward the next entry in the GTA series. After the historic success of GTA 5, the company is likely eager to not only reach the heights GTA 5 did, but to exceed them, too. Early GTA 6 rumors paint a picture of a very ambitious game in the works, and this will certainly require yet another heavy investment of labor and money from Rockstar, likely even exceeding the company's investment in Red Dead Redemption 2. It is not hard to imagine that the company will be drawing from all its global studios once again to ensure the game is released within the current gaming generation without resorting to any compromises.
Should Rockstar also try to take on a Red Dead Redemption remake, it could cause the company's resources to be divided. The GTA series is a flagship franchise for the company, and it would be wise for Rockstar to ensure that the game manages to amaze gamers who have been impatiently waiting for nearly a decade. By passing the Red Dead Redemption remake to a trusted external studio, Rockstar can ensure that both Red Dead Redemption and GTA receive the care and attention they deserve.
Red Dead Redemption Remake: Studios Up to the Task
Throughout its history, Rockstar has displayed impressive creativity, innovation, and a startling ability to execute a highly ambitious vision. Consequently, though many studios have tried to emulate Rockstar, none have managed to achieve this. However, Rockstar is not infallible, and it has demonstrated that remakes and remasters could be its weak spot. This has been seen with the GTA series when the GTA trilogy remake left many gamers disappointed.
Fortunately, there are a few studios that could do a respectable job remastering Red Dead Redemption. The first is Remedy Entertainment, a Finnish studio that has a close relationship with Rockstar thanks to the Max Payne series. Recently, Remedy announced that it would be responsible for the upcoming Max Payne remakes, with Rockstar financing the project. It would be convenient for Rockstar and Remedy to collaborate once again for a Red Dead Redemption remake, as the two companies are already on friendly terms, and have demonstrated in the past that they are capable of working together.
Another candidate is Bluepoint, a studio that has made a reputation for itself as being an industry expert in remakes and remasters. Quality titles from the studio include Shadow of the Colossus, Gravity Rush Remastered, and Demon's Souls. Bluepoint's track record demonstrates that the studio has a knack for adapting classic games for modern consoles, while remaining faithful to the source material. If put to the task, there is no reason why Bluepoint would fail to deliver a stunning remake of Red Dead Redemption.
After the release of the GTA trilogy remaster, gamers are speculating about which of Rockstar's games will be receiving renewed attention. Many are hoping it is Red Dead Redemption, as though its visuals may be dated, its themes and cast of characters still manage to resonate with gamers. Though Rockstar is perfectly capable of delivering an impressive remake, it may be a good idea for the company to let another studio handle it and give the game adequate attention, as the development of the next GTA game could require most, if not all, Rockstar's attention.
Red Dead Redemption is available on PS3 and Xbox 360.
