Summary
- Recent activity by Rockstar suggests a potential Red Dead Redemption remake announcement may be coming soon, which has sparked much speculation among fans.
- The inclusion of Arthur Morgan's story in the RDR1 remake is crucial in tying the franchise together and should be addressed to provide a deeper and more meaningful connection between the two games.
- This could be as deep as a quest in his memory or just a handful of dialogue lines among John, Jack, Javier, Bill, and/or Dutch.
- Doing so would make the franchise feel a little more cohesive and highlight the importance of Arthur Morgan's impact on the franchise.
Something appears to be stirring within the Red Dead Redemption franchise, if recent activity is any indication. It's not the first time that either a Red Dead Redemption remaster or remake for the franchise has been rumored, but it is the first to be tied to an update on the Rockstar website. Indeed, a new logo for a Red Dead Redemption remake (with a Rockstar Games Presents attached for good measure) has made its way online, leading to tons of speculation that an announcement is inbound.
SPOILERS FOR THE RED DEAD REDEMPTION FRANCHISE AHEAD
Assuming this is the case and this Red Dead Redemption title does release this fall, the busiest time period of the year where massive games like Baldur's Gate 3, Starfield, MK1, and more are already lined up, it would really solidify 2023 as one of the best years in gaming. It would be up there with 1998 and 2007, though that would depend on the quality of the title. And beyond that, Arthur Morgan's role within a RDR1 remake would make or break the game.
Arthur Morgan in the RDR1 Remake
Simply put, revisiting RDR1 but ignoring Arthur Morgan's impact on the franchise would not be a great approach. As many know, Arthur Morgan dies at the end of RDR2 and that "explains" why he's not in RDR1. However, that's only justification; the real reason Arthur Morgan is never even mentioned in RDR1 is because, at the time, he did not exist. RDR2's prequel role necessitated a new protagonist, and while it could be perceived as a little jarring, it's an understandable scenario. After all, with the time skip, it's not like Arthur Morgan is going to be on John Marston's tongue at every turn. Still, given Dutch's fall from grace and Arthur Morgan's last days, it would make sense if he were brought up in at least a couple of lines.
If Rockstar Games has greenlit a proper upgrade for Red Dead Redemption, then a lot is riding on Arthur Morgan to tie the two entries in the franchise together in a deeper, more meaningful way. Perhaps it could be passive dialogue from John Marston, perhaps it could be something tied to Arthur Morgan's hat, or perhaps it could just be a little one-liner from Jack, Dutch, Bill, Javier, and so forth. Sure, more than that would be welcome, a new quest in his memory or something like that, but simplicity would work and go a long way here.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen if anything at all manifests out of this, but it's clear how hopeful fans are. A Red Dead Redemption remake could tide many fans over until GTA 6' s release, as one example. But if it does get announced, Rockstar hopefully has an adequate answer to how the events of RDR2 are factored in.
A Red Dead Redemption remaster or remake is rumored to be in development.