Summary
After 14 years of console exclusivity,Red Dead Redemption is finally coming to PC, if leaks are to be believed. Rockstar’s classic cowboy caper is widely renowned as one of the best games of all time, a mantle that its sequel, the imaginatively titledRed Dead Redemption 2, lived up to and surpassed. I’ve never played either, and that needs to change.
For some reason, Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on PC, and has been for five years.
I’m not the biggest fan of cinematic games. I wanted more gameplay fromThe Last of Usto excite me between the big, bold hits of emotional storytelling. I got bored of God of War, despite the action. Detroit: Become Human is terrible on every imaginable level.I like my games gamey, what can I say?
So, during my brief period of PS5 ownership when the console was first released, I avoided Red Dead Redemption. I played The Last of Us, I tried God of War, I brute-forced my way through Bloodborne, I lapped up Spider-Man, but Red Dead Redemption was left by the wayside. There are too many games!
Red Dead Redemption felt like a gamble. It’s a big game, a long game, and a game that doesn’t seem to fit with the genres I enjoy. I knew it was a classic, but I opted for other classics that I might gel better with. I regret never giving it a whirl, but the chance is now finally upon me.
Red Dead Redemption’s PC port follows in the footsteps of Sony exclusive triple-A games like Horizon: Zero Dawn, God of War, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. These ports are exceptional in quality, even taking into account ultrawide monitors and other niche setups in the transfer to the master race. This will be the best way to play one of the best games ever made, and I don’t think I can pass up that opportunity.
The problem is, I’ve already got too many games to play. I’m desperately trying to keep up with 2024’s releases, butthe indies are popping offand I’m falling behind. In addition to everything from this year, I’m playing throughYakuza: Like A Dragonin order to try to playInfinite Wealthbefore the year is out, and I need to finally get around tofinishing Dragon Age: InquisitionbeforeDreadwolf drops. I don’t need any more games to play.
I’ll buy Red Dead Redemption as soon as I see John Marston’s cowboy mug pop up on Steam (please be on Steam). By the time you’re reading this, I might’ve already bought it. My controller is locked and loaded. I’ve bought a holster for it so I can properly roleplay a cowboy shootout. My trigger finger is itchy. But other duties call.
I don’t know when I’m going to play Red Dead Redemption, but I’m glad the option will soon be there. I’m glad my SSD will be that little bit heavier with the combined weight of Rockstar’s files and my own expectations.
Cross-platform releases are good for the industry – it allows developers to make more money — and for players – it means we don’t have to buy every expensive console just to play the latest games. Life is getting more expensive, the cost of living crisis is ongoing, and millions can’t afford to put food on the table, let alone consoles under the Christmas tree. What if one little kid in a household with a PC lives and breathes cowboys, but their parents can’t afford to drop half a grand on a PS5 or Xbox?
Obviously selling exclusive games on rival consoles (PC is clearly considered separate to theSony/Microsoft rivalry) is another big step that Sony hasn’t taken yet, but big console games moving to PC is progress, and we can’t begrudge that. You shouldn’t need a thousand pounds of machinery sitting under your telly to be able to play every game.
We’re getting closer to a more free ecosystem where the players are the winners. Red Dead Redemption should be available on as many systems as possible, especially PC. Most people need computers to work from, so a mid-range PC kills two birds with one stone – work and play.
I’m selfishly hoping forSteam Deckcompatibility too, to take old Johnny Marston on the road. Even if that’s an impossibility, if Rockstar can get this classic working on the Nintendo Switch, it can’t be too difficult to dive back into the code and allow it to join its successor on PC. Now, where did I put those spurs?
