Red Dead Redemption 2 release pushed back to spring 2018: What we want to see

Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar’s followup to Red Dead Redemption is getting a spring 2018 release date, however Rockstar has released new screenshots from the upcoming game.

Unfortunately Red Dead Redemption 2 won’t be coming this year.  Rockstar Games’s followup to their 2010 hit, Red Dead Redemption, won’t get a release date until spring of 2018.  Rockstar’s official release says they are building the game with an entirely new engine.

"This outlaw epic set across the vast and unforgiving American heartland will be the first Rockstar game created from the ground up for the latest generation of console hardware, and some extra time is necessary to ensure that we can deliver the best experience possible for our fans."

Rockstar is known for their cutting edge approaches to game making and commitment to their fans.  So the delay is no surprise.  Red Dead Redemption was released six years after the original Red Dead Revolver on a next-gen system. The delay in release for Redemption 2 follows this trend.

"We are very sorry for any disappointment this delay causes, but we are firm believers in delivering a game only when it is ready."

I’m very excited to see what comes next.  The biggest change from Revolver to Redemption was the use of the Grand Theft Auto 4 engine. While Revolver had some open areas, the plot and gameplay were very linear.  It did, however, introduce a kind of slow-mo quick-draw system that carried over into the next game.

One thing I do miss from the original Revolver is a certain level of whimsy that was absent from the more serious Redemption.  Characters as bizarre as the crazed, dynamite-wielding Pig Josh and the suave British gunslinger and marksman, Jack were notably absent in Redemption.  The game instead opted for a more down-to-earth and realistic approach to historical fiction.

The games as a whole have been a notably respectful representation of race relations between white settlers and Mexican and Indigenous people during the turn of the century.  The dying West and the fading mystique of the American cowboy remain strong themes throughout the series.  I’m very excited to see how the third installment will continue in this fashion.

Next: The Legend of Zelda goes mobile

Rockstar promises more details about the game over the next few months and into the summer. To appease fans, they released several new screenshots from the game, and they look so amazing.