Red Dead Redemption 3would be a fascinating release, especially given the recent success of its predecessor. While players are not likely to see a third franchise entry for some time, discussion is still rampant in terms of what kind of experience that game would eventually provide.
One of the major sticking points ofRed Dead Redemption 3appears to be what setting the game will go for. With theRDRfranchise being so synonymous with the Wild West that anything beyond this would go against its core themes. However, anything earlier has arguably already been done. This of course extends to what charactersRDR3would portray, and it is paramount that Rockstar does not introduce an entirely new gang for its nextRed Deadproject.
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The Importance of the Van Der Linde Gang
The Van Der Linde gang has been at the center of theRDRnarrativefor its past two releases. The presence and legacy of the gang is massively important to wider franchise, and it is no wonder Rockstar chose to focus on the group so extensively.
WhileRDR2showed us the Van Der Linde gang at their peak and the group’seventual downfall from Arthur Morgan’s perspective, the firstRDRshowed its surviving members in a fractured and almost hopeless state. Of course, the story of the gang has been portrayed in detail, with the only realistic mass portrayal of the group inRDR3being if it shows the initial formation of the gang before the events ofRDR2.
A case can definitely be made forRed Dead Redemption 3to explore some new characters and points of view, yet it is deeply important that the release maintains its connections with the Van Der Linde gang to some extent. While an entirely new host of characters can work for other Rockstar IPs, the more personal nature of theRed Deadfranchise means exploring a whole new gang simply would not work.
Other franchises such asGrand Theft Autoare renowned for their ability to introduce wholly new casts of characters between releases.TheGTAuniverse is much more bombastic thanRed Dead’s, meaning the games can get away with portraying new characters thanks to the dizzying experiences that the game world offers.
TheRed Deadgames tell much more intimate and character-driven stories, with the world around the character seeming more of a secondary feature as opposed to the core allure of the titles. There is a wide range of potential stories that a Wild West setting could foster, yet the Van Der Linde gang have become as synonymous with the IP as the setting itself.
While it is expected thatRDR3will of course introduce some new characters, it is vital that the game remains anchored to the events of its predecessors. For example,RDR3could explore Jack Marston as an older man, or even tell the tale of Charles followingRed Dead Redemption 2’s story. This would allow Rockstar to explore new pastures with the franchise while still anchoringRDR3to the events of the first twoRedemptiontitles.
Of course,an origin story of the Van Der Linde gangwould allow Rockstar to re-use many of the same characters, yet there is equal debate regarding whether a Wild West setting is even something thatRDR3should explore at all. WhileRDR3should explore new narratives and hear new voices, it is vital that a clear link to the beloved characters of previous games is present, and an entirely new gang would make the release feel too disconnected from its roots.
Red Dead Redemption 3is not officially confirmed to be in development.
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