No reason to be happy: "Red Dead Redemption" to be released for Switch and PS4
The open-world western "Red Dead Redemption" is being re-released. What should actually be a reason for joy is causing anger among many fans.
For a long time, it was rumoured that Rockstar Games was working on a remake of "Red Dead Redemption". Various leaks fuelled anticipation for a new edition of the Western classic.
Now it's clear: this is not a remaster.
Now it is clear: the project is not a remaster or a remake à la "The Last of Us Part I", but merely a port of the original game. In a tweet, Rockstar Games announces that "Red Dead Redemption" will be released on 17 August for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch. The original was released on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2010.
You will have to pay around 50 euros or francs for the thirteen-year-old game. At least the price includes the fantastic zombie expansion "Undead Nightmare". However, the multiplayer mode is not included.
Big disappointment and missing versions
The disappointment among "Red Dead Redemption" fans is huge - the trailer on YouTube is inundated with negative ratings and comments. The scenes shown in the video suggest that no adjustments have been made to the game. Rockstar has also not communicated whether the game runs at 60 FPS - many fans therefore suspect that the port, like the original game, only offers 30 FPS.
Also disappointing is the fact that "Red Dead Redemption" will only be released as a last-gen version for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Although the game will be playable on the PS5 thanks to backwards compatibility, the features of the more powerful hardware will not be utilised. You should therefore not expect a higher resolution, higher frame rates or dual-sense features on the PS5.
The absence of a version for the Xbox Series X and S can be explained by the excellent backwards compatibility of Microsoft's consoles. The original Xbox 360 game is still available in the Microsoft Store for around 30 francs or euros. You can play the game in 4K resolution on the Series X and in 1440p on the Series S. An additional advantage of the Xbox version: the multiplayer servers are still running.
It is inexplicable, however, why no PC version of the port has been announced. Even thirteen years after its initial release, PC gamers are still denied access to this classic game.
Rockstar, quo vadis?
An additional cause for concern is the fact that the "Red Dead Redemption" port has been delegated to an external studio. Double Eleven is responsible for this. The support studio has been employed on a number of technically and gameplay-wise questionable games, including "Crackdown 3", "Fallout 76" and the console version of "Rust".
Two years ago, Rockstar Games outsourced the development of one of its franchises to an external studio. "Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition" was developed by Grove Street Games. The "GTA" collection was torn apart by fans and critics alike due to its poor performance and dodgy graphics.
Even the most loyal Rockstar fans are slowly losing faith in the publisher. The social media platforms
X and Reddit are flooded with negative reactions to the announcement. Let's hope that Rockstar Games will get back to its old strength with the upcoming "Grand Theft Auto 6".
Source: Domagoj Belancic / @DarkViperAU
My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.