Summary
Though its successor is far more relevant today, the firstRed Dead Redemptionhas long been considered one of the best video games ever made. Indeed,Red Dead Redemption 2’s successwas predicated on the solid tonal, world-building, and narrative foundations laid by John Marston’s 2010 story, which still has plenty of demand.
This demand was exemplified by last year’s somewhat controversial PS4 and Switch ports ofRed Dead Redemption, which sold well despite being mired in negative publicity. The ports were criticized by players who considered the $50 asking price far too great for what was actually being offered: straight ports with little in the way of upgrades or new features, and lacking the original’s multiplayer mode. The news also came as a disappointment because of the continued omission of a PC version of the game, which many hoped would arrive at some point. While it’s not been officially confirmed, there’s a chance that these disappointed fans will get their wish sometime soon.
Recent leaks suggest that Rockstar could bepreparing aRed Dead RedemptionPC port, which should come as welcome news to long-time fans of the franchise. The original 2010 game famously never came to PC, with Rockstar remaining mostly silent or noncommittal about the prospect of such a port. The general consensus is thatRed Dead Redemptionwasn’t originally coded for PC, and Rockstar opted not to expend the resources to make the conversion. PC gaming has become significantly more popular over the course of the last decade, though, so this may have encouraged Rockstar to tap into that market.
Though the rumors of aRed Dead RedemptionPC port seem credible at this juncture, it’s important to remember that Rockstar has not yet confirmed its existence, so fans should keep their expectations tempered.
Much of the chagrin surroundingRed Dead Redemption’s PS4 and Switch portsstems from the fact that, while Rockstar improved frame consistency and added modern features like antialiasing and a 60FPS mode on PS4, the ports are mostly identical to the original game, both visually and mechanically. Players have to squint pretty hard to see the differences between the original release and its modern versions, and in an industry where big-budget remakes and remasters are offering significant improvements to classic games, the nominal changes toRed Dead Redemptionhaven’t gone over well.
TheRed Dead Redemptionports,much like theGTA Trilogyfiasco, cost Rockstar a bit of goodwill from consumers, but a solid PC port ofRed Deadwould earn some of it back. “Solid” is the imperative word, though, as AAA PC ports have a shoddy track record; games likeThe Last of Us Part 1, for instance, which run well on console, have suffered from grave technical issues on PC, alienating that portion of the player base.
Assuming theRed Dead Redemptionport is real, and assuming that it launches in a good state, then it could wind up being the best way to experience the classic game. Players lamented the incremental graphical update of the PS4 and Switch ports, but PCs could theoretically bolster the game’s visuals to a significant degree, and mods could help offer better lighting, textures, and the like, helping to modernize the game. It probably wouldn’t be on the same level as aproperRed Dead Redemptionremake, which some fans are still holding out hope for, but it could definitely be a treat for both veteran and first-time players.
