This isn’t the remake that fans were wishing for.
Fans (2023)
The recent announcement of Red Dead Redemption’s upcoming release on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch should have been a reason for excitement among the devoted community. However, instead of celebration, fans are expressing strong dissatisfaction with today’s news.
Earlier today, Rockstar unveiled its plan to bring 2010’s Red Dead Redemption and its Undead Nightmare expansion to PS4 and Nintendo Switch on August 17, followed by physical editions on October 13. Rockstar is terming this as a “conversion” rather than a remaster or remake, with a price tag of $50 for this version of the game.
Red Dead Redemption players on social media are expressing their frustration over the game’s cost, the absence of multiplayer, and the lack of availability on PC. The situation is exacerbated by ongoing rumors about a Red Dead Redemption remake, fueled by recent ratings for the game in South Korea. These rumors have led fans to anticipate a full-fledged remake, with many hoping for a version that would align the original game with the visual standards of Red Dead Redemption 2, similar to how The Last of Us Part I received visual upgrades to match Part II.
However, Rockstar’s offering doesn’t align with those expectations. Instead, fans find themselves let down as Red Dead Redemption on PlayStation 4 and Switch seems to maintain a visual resemblance to the original PS3 and Xbox 360 editions. Additionally, Rockstar did not reveal support for 60 FPS on the new port, causing fans to assume it will stick to the original game’s 30 FPS rate. The disappointment intensified when the community discovered that Red Dead Redemption is already playable in 4K on Xbox Series X, a point that was swiftly raised online.
Thanks to the Xbox Series X|S’ enhanced backward compatibility with previous generations of Xbox, Red Dead Redemption has been accessible on Microsoft’s platforms for a considerable time. While this new release won’t be arriving on Xbox, it’s likely due to the fact that the original 360 version is already available on the Xbox store. Furthermore, the $50 price tag attached to the new PS4 and Switch versions doesn’t compare favorably with the $30 price tag on Xbox.
“I purchased the GOTY edition for $10 to enjoy it in 4k on my One X. Paying $50 for a basic port of a 13-year-old game is quite something,” one user shared on Reddit. Another user expressed, “It’s a truly disheartening day when the top post on r/reddeadredemption is ‘Don’t buy Red Dead Redemption.'”
Interestingly, this upcoming port is skipping the PC platform entirely, even though Rockstar still hasn’t officially released Red Dead Redemption for PC players.
Fans are labeling the port as a “money-making move,” as evidenced by one of the most popular posts today on the subreddit stating, “Avoid purchasing Red Dead Redemption… If you’re looking for a genuine remake/remaster, then steer clear of this money-making move.” The post highlights that the port seems to lack substantial graphical and FPS improvements and is notably absent of the original’s multiplayer mode.
Furthermore, today’s announcement has sparked a wave of memes, with some humorously noting that Red Dead Redemption is making its debut on a Nintendo platform for the first time.
