Red Dead Redemption 3 | News, Rumors & Speculation

Following the release of the highly-anticipated GTA 6 trailer in December 2023, conversations about another beloved Rockstar franchise are starting to build traction, igniting hope in the hearts of fans.

Between the original Red Dead Redemption games and Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar Games has gained a reputation for producing and delivering high-quality games that precious few entertainment franchises manage to do effectively. It's been five years since we last saw the Van Der Linde gang in RDR 2, and fans wonder if they'll ever dive into the Wild West again.

While Rockstar Games is heavily focused on Grand Theft Auto 6, there are some bonus clues about the future of the Red Dead franchise and the release of Red Dead Redemption 3, which will almost certainly only be released after 2025 once GTA 6 has come out.

RED DEAD REDEMPTION 3: RUMORS

The potential confirmation of the next Red Dead Redemption game comes from the actor who plays protagonist Arthur Morgan in RDR 2, Roger Clerk. While answering questions on X (formerly Twitter) about GTA V and GTA Online's future, he commented on a possible RDR 3.

Despite not being actively involved in the production of anything RDR-related, he gave hope to the public about the continuation of the game:

"I'm sure we'll see RDR 3 one day. When that will happen, I have no idea. Don't count on Arthur's involvement either. I think his story has already been told."

Some further hints dropped by Rockstar Games last year indicate players will be saddled up and gunslinging again in no time.

At the Jefferies Virtual Global Interactive Entertainment Conference last year, Rockstar's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, mentioned he was confident about another Red Dead game, but not any time in the near future.

"The new Bond film, that was great," he said. "You would like every franchise to be James Bond. There are precious few entertainment franchises of any sort that fall into that category, but they do exist... I think Red Dead is one of them."

He added, "Annualizing non-sports titles runs the risk of burning out the intellectual property, even if it's good."

"So we take the time to make something we think is incredibly phenomenal, and we also rest titles intentionally so that there's pent-up demand for that title, so it's a special event," Zelnick continued.

With this information in mind, it'll likely be a couple years' wait for the next installment of Red Dead Redemption, with RDR 3 potentially being announced after GTA 6's release in 2025.

ACCOUNT FAMOUS FOR LEAKS SAYS RDR 3 IS IN PRODUCTION

A famous X account renowned for video game and cinema leaks, "MyTimeToShineHello," says that the production of Red Dead Redemption 3 is definitely happening. While the community reaction was adverse, this rumor increased fan expectations and generated hype around a new Red Dead Redemption game.

It's worth noting that this account accurately leaked dialogue and characters from Marvel films like Multiverse of Madness, No Way Home, and more, so they are somewhat reputable. They have even leaked that a Hogwarts Legacy 2 is fully in the works.

WHEN WILL RED DEAD REDEMPTION 3 BE RELEASED?

Despite being highly anticipated by fans, the new game in the Red Dead franchise, Red Dead Redemption 3, is still way off the cards. Red Dead Redemption 3 has yet to be officially confirmed by Rockstar Games or Red Dead's publisher, Take-Two Interactive.

However, if Rockstar maintains a similar development cycle with their alternating tentpole titles, a potential three-quel release for Red Dead Redemption 3 could happen between 2026 and 2030. This is exactly eight years after Red Dead Redemption 3 and five years after GTA 6.

Seeing as GTA 6 is expected to hit consoles in 2025, the wait until 2030 for Red Dead Redemption 3 seems more likely before the gaming community can launch onto a new frontier with Red Dead Redemption 3.

The gap between RDR 1 and RDR 2 was also eight years. With new console developments and technological advancements, we expect this wait to be even longer for Red Dead Redemption 3.

We can expect Red Dead Redemption 3 to launch on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, with a later PC port. 

WHAT WILL RED DEAD REDEMPTION 3 BE ABOUT?

The first game in 2010 followed John Marston, voiced by Rob Wiethoff, as he was manipulated by Bureau of Investigations agents Edgar Ross and Archer Fordham to hunt down members of his old gang.

The sequel to the 2010 original (itself a spiritual successor to 2004's classic Red Dead Revolver) deep dives into the story of the Van der Linde gang through the playable protagonist, Arthur Morgan, as they're forced to deal with the decline of the Wild West in 1899, while also battling rival gangs and government forces.

So, what plot or storyline could Red Dead Redemption 3 follow? Voices from within the franchise suggest that a new narrative could be on the origins of the Van Der Linde Gang, centered around the notorious Dutch Van Der Linde himself. This could serve as a prequel rather than a direct sequel to RDR 2. Rockstar could even go in the direction of using newer characters connected and introduced in RDR 3.

Alternatively, the series could explore the saga of the infamous Landon Ricketts, the renowned gunslinger, or go down a different route entirely with a female protagonist. Either way, nothing is known or confirmed about the next Red Dead Redemption plot.

The Dutch Van Der Linde gang's arc has ended, leaving room for growth and diversity for the franchise.

WHERE WILL RED DEAD REDEMPTION 3 TAKE PLACE?

Although Red Dead Redemption 2 has depicted the end of the Wild West and Western franchise as we know it, there are many places Red Dead Redemption 3 can go in the future with the next game.

While official plans for the game have not been released, we can assume it'll follow in the footsteps of previous Red Dead Redemption titles, being a largely open-world game. Since RDR 2 largely takes place in the frontier of America and the expanse of the Wild West, the next game could explore Mexico.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Red Dead Redemption 2 won the hearts of fans worldwide as one of the most successful games of its generation. Even now, RDR 2 has surpassed 57 million copies sold and remains one of the most-watched games on streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

With its building hype, leaks, and rumors, Red Dead Redemption 3 is already on the cards to be a great game and successor to RDR 2. As always, if any new bonus details or information comes to light, we'll update this article accordingly, so stay tuned!

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