Red Dead Redemption 3is just a pipe dream at the moment, but there is still hope for developer Rockstar to bring another western adventure to life. It’s likely a long wait for a potentialRed Dead Redemption 3, but if that day finally comes, the first questions will be about its story. TheRed Dead Redemptionseries has been hailed as some of the best storytelling in gaming, but its lean away from full-blown historical accuracy could be keeping it from great sources of inspiration.

Of course,Red Dead Redemptionembraces historical accuracy where it counts. From the lifestyle of its characters to the landscape, the franchise’s approach to historical fiction works. However,subverting expectations inRDR3by focusing on accuracy with its locations, plot points, and characters could bring fresh sources for Rockstar to draw from with narrative building.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Tag Page Cover Art

Until now,Red Dead Redemption’s alternate version of the American west has given Rockstar freedom to put its own spin on certain historical settings and moments; for example,Saint Denis is based on New Orleans. However, a newRed Dead Redemptionstory featuring real-life historical events in the places they occurred could be the perfect recipe for a fresh story. Not only would the franchise be able to explore real world situations that helped shape the Old West, but there could also be exciting cameos featuring actual historical figures that could play a larger role in the plot.

RDR3 Could Showcase Some of the Biggest Names of the Wild West Era

In addition to this list of some of the Wild West’s most notable stars, there are also plenty of deep-cut names that could serve as more cameos for history fans. There’s the risk of such an approach feeling more like a game adaptation of the 1993 filmTombstone, but if done properly, it could be a compelling new way for Rockstar to tell a proper western story.Red Dead Redemptionexcels at realism, making it a perfect franchise to showcase history-defining events.

Despite being influential to US history, the Wild West era was surprisingly short-lived. Most historians consider this period of time to have lasted from the 1860s to the 1890s.

As a way to avoid making a more historically accurate list of characters feel likeTombstoneorYoung Guns,Red Dead Redemptioncould continue its tradition of a unique roster of lead characters while bringing forth small cameos from people like Jesse James and Calamity Jane instead of making them the central focus.The characters ofRed Dead Redemptionhelp bring its stories to life, and coming across the surprise appearance of a bona fide, real-world Wild West legend may prove to be a big success.

There are a variety ofroutesRed Dead Redemption 3could take. While actual historical figures could be fun, it also runs the risk of shaking up the franchise’s proven formula too much. It’s more likely that Rockstar will stick to what has made the series so successful. However, there is still the option for the studio to bring a small amount of historical accuracy to the series' NPCs by at least featuring a handful of cameos from actual outlaws and gunslingers.

Reports have claimed thatRed Dead Redemption 2could launch for the Switch 2, but this has yet to be confirmed.

The future ofRed Dead Redemptionremains to be seen, but it’s exciting to speculate on what could be next for the beloved western series. Afterthe highly-anticipated launch ofGTA 6, a lot of gamers' sights will be set on the nextRed Dead Redemptiontitle, and whatever that entails, it’s likely to bring another fascinating story to players.

Red Dead Redemption 2

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America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age.