Revolutionizing Red Dead: Why Rockstar's 'New Frontier' Must Be Explored in Red Dead Redemption 3
Rockstar has yet another opportunity to revolutionize open-world gaming with a Red Dead Redemption spin-off, inspired by Fallout: New Vegas Discover how this innovative approach can elevate the Red Dead franchise and captivate players with its unique narrative and immersive gameplay
The future of the Red Dead Redemption franchise is uncertain as Rockstar Studios focuses on developing the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto game. It remains unclear when the developer will shift its attention back to the popular sibling series. Speculation has arisen that the franchise may be abandoned as the developer's priorities evolve. However, if Rockstar wishes to continue the Red Dead Redemption franchise in the meantime, it could learn from Bethesda's approach with Fallout: New Vegas.
Released in 2010, Fallout: New Vegas marked the sixth installment in the Fallout franchise and the second game released under Bethesda's publishing arm. Following the success of Fallout 3, the developer decided to dedicate its time and resources to creating The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Rather than neglecting the Fallout property, Bethesda allowed another studio to develop a spin-off game, which eventually became New Vegas. Regarded as the standout title of the Bethesda-era Fallout games, Fallout: New Vegas offers a potential model that Rockstar could follow for a Red Dead Redemption spin-off game.
What Rockstar Should Not do With a Fallout New Vegas Style Red Dead Redemption Spinoff
The troubled production and launch of the Obsidian game cannot be overlooked. When the game was initially released, it faced heavy criticism due to its numerous technical issues. These issues took quite some time to be fixed, and it wasn't until Fallout: New Vegas had several patches that the game started to improve. The reason behind these technical problems was the lack of time given to Obsidian to complete the game, as they had around 18 months only. To meet the deadline, they had to resort to reusing assets from Fallout 3. Despite all the difficulties, the game managed to achieve success, selling more than 12 million copies worldwide and receiving positive reviews, despite the technical flaws. However, Obsidian did not reap the benefits of this success.
Apparently, there was a specific clause in the contract between Bethesda and Obsidian that came to light later. It stated that Obsidian would receive a bonus for Fallout: New Vegas only if the game's average Metacritic score reached 85. Unfortunately, the score fell short by a single point, leaving the developer in financial distress for years to come. If Rockstar were to create a spinoff in the Red Dead Redemption franchise similar to Fallout: New Vegas, they should take note of this particular aspect. They must ensure that such a clause is not included, as it caused significant hardships for Obsidian. Nonetheless, the main concept behind Fallout: New Vegas is still a solid one and something that Rockstar should seriously consider.
How the Red Dead Redemption Franchise Could Benefit From a Fallout: New Vegas Style Spinoff
One of the greatest advantages of a Fallout: New Vegas-style spin-off for Red Dead Redemption is the limitless possibilities it brings. While the main Red Dead Redemption games may be restricted by the storyline of Jack Marston, a smaller-scale spin-off can break free from the constraints of the Dan der Linde gang's history. Whether it takes the form of a sequel to Red Dead Revolver or introduces a whole new set of characters in the same world, it has the potential to break free from the continuity limitations of previous games.
Furthermore, from a technical standpoint, a spin-off doesn't necessarily require starting from scratch. With Red Dead Redemption 2 weighing in at a hefty 120 GB, many of the assets from the game can be repurposed, potentially saving time and resources. This would enable the development team to focus more on the story, missions, and characters instead of spending excessive time on technical aspects that could slow down production. Not only would fans get a fresh game within the franchise at a faster pace, but Rockstar would also be able to reuse a significant number of existing assets.
Currently, there are rumors suggesting that the development of Red Dead Redemption 3 is underway.
