The charm of the Wild West seen in Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption series has attracted many players, and that is both a good and bad thing. From the rough trails in the first game to the stunning landscapes and deep characters in Red Dead Redemption 2, the series has raised the standard for open-world storytelling and gameplay. However, the long waits between game releases leave fans wanting more, similar to the gaps between Bethesda's Fallout games. As excitement grows for a third game, Rockstar could consider taking a page from Bethesda's book with Fallout: New Vegas.

Instead of focusing only on one big title, it could explore a spin-off created by a different studio. This could bring new ideas and gameplay features, giving fans more adventures in the Red Dead world. This plan would provide something for players eager for new content and let Rockstar concentrate on its next big project while keeping the franchise active and interesting. It would give fans something fresh to enjoy without the full commitment of a complete sequel.

The Writer of RDR Is Gone, So It May Not Be As Good As The Other Two Anyway

It's Hard When The Writer Leaves

Michael Unsworth, a key writer for the Red Dead Redemption series, has left the team, raising concerns about the future quality of the game. When a major creative person behind a popular franchise leaves, fans often worry that the storytelling and character development might suffer. While it’s not always true – since new talent can emerge – this has happened before in the gaming industry. It's normally not a good thing and can damage a series as a whole.

Dan Ho, lead writer for both Red Dead Redemption games and co-founder of Rockstar Games, also left the company in 2020.

For instance, after the original writers left the Assassin's Creed series, the games still did well. Still, it never reached the same level of greatness as the earlier titles, especially before Assassin's Creed 3. The original idea was for the series to be six games, ending with the AC3. However, Corey May and Patrice Desilets left the series, and Ubisoft struggled to make the story continue without them.

It's well-known how much the modern day side of Assassin's Creed's story is disliked, and the studio is still trying to make it work. This doesn’t mean that a great game can’t be made without Unsworth, but it’s definitely a concern. Losing a writer who has been so important to the series could make fans wonder if future games can keep up the same quality in storytelling.

Fallout: New Vegas Is A Great Example Of How Outside Studios Can Continue A Legacy

New Vegas Is The Best Fallout

Bethesda Game Studios faced a challenge similar to Rockstar's; it had a dedicated fanbase eager for new games, but its main titles took a long time to develop. While Bethesda concentrated on The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Bethesda made a smart choice by allowing Obsidian Entertainment to take on the Fallout franchise, resulting in Fallout: New Vegas. This decision turned out to be very successful, offering a unique experience that still felt true to the Fallout series.

Obsidian Entertainment was founded by former employees of Interplay and Black Isle Studios, developers of the original Fallout and Fallout 2.

New Vegas is often considered to be the best game in the franchise, thanks to its rich story and lore, multiple choices, and complex characters. Although its development time was shorter than Bethesda's usual games, even when game development was generally faster, it kept the excitement around the series alive while Bethesda worked on its next big project. The success of New Vegas proved that another studio could effectively manage a major franchise and even improve it in some ways.

This kept fans happy in the meantime, but it wasn't a mainline title in the series. This approach could also keep the Red Dead Redemption series active while Rockstar focuses on other things. This way, fans won't have to wait a very long time to see more of the world that Rockstar has already invested so much in.

RDR3 Could Take A Decade Before Releasing Otherwise

We've Waited Over A Decade For GTA 6

Rockstar Games is known for creating highly detailed and immersive game worlds, often setting new industry standards. However, this commitment to quality means that its games take a long time to develop and Read Dead Redemption 2 was no exception. The production process can slow down since one main team works on its big titles. After the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, the studio will likely focus on ing the game's expected multiplayer component and creating able content for it.

While the studio may have started on ideas for another Red Dead game, completing it would still require a lot of resources. There are also rumors of the canceled Bully 2 being revived, which could delay further work on a new Red Dead Redemption. Given all of this, it’s reasonable to think that Red Dead Redemption 3 might not come out for another 10 years.

Rockstar's large and ambitious games, combined with its unique approach to development, mean that fans may have to wait a long time for the next game in their favorite series. This makes the idea of a smaller spin-off game more appealing to keep them entertained in the meantime. Like Obsidian's take on Fallout, another RDR doesn't have to be a full-fledged sequel.

Rockstar Has Too Many Big Franchises in One Studio

It's Time To Diversify

Rockstar Games has built a strong lineup of popular game series, most famously Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. Each of these series has a loyal fanbase that eagerly awaits new games and updates. In the past, fans have been patient with the long development times because they appreciate the quality of Rockstar's games.

Unfortunately, now they have to wait even longer because the company focuses on one franchise at a time. This means fans of Red Dead might have to wait for a long while before getting anything new. The long wait for GTA 6 is effectively building excitement, but it seems like development cycles will only continue to get longer, especially for the detailed open-world games Rockstar focuses on. The company should consider involving other studios so that multiple games can be developed simultaneously.

Many studios hate letting go of their development, and it doesn't always play out well. The GTA Definitive Edition is a great example of how badly letting go of the reins can go. However, now that Rockstar has seen what can go wrong, the company can work to make sure that Red Dead Redemption doesn't go down the same path if the company does it again.