Summary
- Red Dead Redemption 2's lack of a follow-up to the popular Undead Nightmare DLC is a disappointment for fans who enjoyed the zombie experience in the original game.
- The references to Undead Nightmare in RDR2 gave fans hope for another, but with each passing year, it becomes increasingly unlikely that it will ever be released.
- Rockstar's focus on Grand Theft Auto 6 and the abandonment of Red Dead Online suggests that Undead Nightmare 2 is not a priority for the company, making its release even more doubtful.
It is undeniable that the story of Red Dead Redemption 2 was a roaring success for Rockstar, with its core themes and characters being lauded by the game's community. By matching and arguably exceeding the narrative of its predecessor, many fans were looking forward to what kinds of post-launch story expansions the title would eventually receive.
Of course, a lot of this attention concerned Red Dead Redemption 2 eventually releasing its own take on the 2010 Undead Nightmare expansion for Red Dead Redemption. Undead Nightmare's genuinely unsettling take on Red Dead in a zombified world was a huge point of pride for the original game, and so a similar experience for RDR2 seemed a sure thing in 2018. Despite RDR2 making a clear reference to Undead Nightmare, the subsequent radio silence from Rockstar means that fans may never see a successor to the DLC.
A Lack of Pay-off For Red Dead Redemption 2's Undead Nightmare
Rockstar put a lot of effort into making the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 feel extremely detailed, with a clear focus being placed on rewarding fans for exploration. This mentality gave way to a huge range of Easter eggs throughout RDR2's map, ranging from insignificant nods to secrets that fans have taken as hints towards future Rockstar projects.
The biggest direct reference to Undead Nightmare in RDR2 is within a run-down well in Tall Trees. If the player descends into the well, they will notice that the character model of Arthur Morgan or John Marston appears normal in the light, but in the dark, the protagonist will take the form of a hideous zombie. This is a huge homage by Rockstar to the successful zombie experiences that the franchise has previously explored, and it is clear why so many fans thought this was a solid indicator that Undead Nightmare 2 was in the pipeline.
Of course, Red Dead 2 possesses many supernatural Easter eggs, with the player being able to activate UFO sightings or even witness time travel. This offers a lot of potential narratives for a wacky RDR2 spinoff, but the legacy of Undead Nightmare has made a zombie DLC a thing of dreams for fans. Despite this concrete groundwork for an RDR2 Undead Nightmare, each passing year is another nail in the coffin for it ever coming to fruition.
With five years having passed since Red Dead Redemption 2's release, the concept of a large-scale DLC like Undead Nightmare is becoming increasingly unrealistic. For reference, the original Undead Nightmare was released only a few months after Red Dead Redemption, with this quick formula clearly being abandoned by Rockstar with RDR2. While it could have been feasible for Undead Nightmare 2 to be produced a few years ago, Rockstar's attention is surely now focused on Grand Theft Auto 6 instead.
This has already been evidenced in Rockstar's abandoning of Red Dead Online, with the franchise as a whole seemingly taking a backseat in the company's plans. As no solid information has been released about Undead Nightmare 2 being in development, it is fairly safe to assume that the expansion will never see the light of day. This is all the more disheartening when considering the success of the original Undead Nightmare, as well as the clear references to the DLC in RDR2, but the sheer undertaking that is GTA 6 has clearly overshadowed any post-launch work for the Red Dead 2.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.