I've been obsessing over Red Dead Redemption 2 lately, and let me tell you, it's like having a time machine to the dying days of the American Frontier. There's something hauntingly beautiful about experiencing the Wild West through Arthur Morgan's eyes as he wrestles with his morality, loyalty, and that pesky tuberculosis. Not to be a downer, but I find myself constantly wondering what Rockstar might do next with this franchise.

The Era That Keeps On Giving

The game's setting in the late 1890s is absolutely chef's kiss. It's this perfect storm of old meeting new, where outlaws suddenly realize their lifestyle has an expiration date stamped on it. I mean, imagine being Dutch van der Linde and watching everything you've built your identity around slowly becoming obsolete. Talk about an existential crisis!

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The Pinkertons are constantly breathing down your neck (based on the real Pinkerton Agency founded in 1850), industrialization is creeping in like an unwelcome houseguest, and suddenly your outlaw lifestyle seems less romantic and more... desperate? As someone who can barely handle software updates, I totally get Dutch's resistance to change.

Bandits, Trains, and Automobiles

The whole bandit mythology is captured perfectly in RDR2. The Van der Linde gang isn't just robbing banks and trains because it's fun (although, let's be honest, it does look pretty exhilarating). They're doing it because it's what they know, even as the world tells them their time is up.

I found it fascinating how the game portrays rival gangs too:

  • O'Driscoll gang (the worst!)

  • Del Lobo gang (slightly less worst!)

  • Lemoyne Raiders (racist AND worst!)

Each represents different facets of outlaw life crumbling under the weight of civilization's advance. One minute you're the king of the frontier, the next you're just another criminal on a wanted poster. Life comes at you fast in 1899!

Why This Era Deserves Another Game

Here's my hot take: Rockstar doesn't need to jump to the Civil War or Great War for the next Red Dead game. The turn of the century is PACKED with potential stories. Just think about it:

  1. The railroad expansion continuing to transform the landscape

  2. Oil discoveries changing economies overnight

  3. The rise of automobiles beginning to make horses obsolete

  4. Native American perspectives during this massive cultural shift

Speaking of which, I'd absolutely love to see a game from the Native American viewpoint during this period. RDR2 touched on it with characters like Eagle Flies and Rains Fall, but imagine a full game exploring American Expansionism from the other side. The depopulation of tribes, loss of territory, and fight to maintain cultural identity would make for a powerful narrative.

What Makes This Time Period Special

The era is just dripping with conflict and contradiction. You've got:

Old West New West
Horse travel Railroads & early automobiles
Outlaws Law enforcement agencies
Wilderness Expanding cities
Individual freedom Government control

It's this clash that creates such compelling drama. I mean, who doesn't love a good "times are changing" story? 😭

And the beauty of it is that while we experienced this era through Arthur's eyes in RDR2, there are countless other perspectives waiting to be explored. What about playing as a Pinkerton agent? Or a railroad baron? Or a photographer documenting the vanishing frontier?

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My Wishlist for the Next Red Dead Game

If I could whisper in Rockstar's ear (not creepy at all), I'd beg them to:

  • Keep the same time period but show us a different slice of it

  • Let us play as someone from a completely different background than Arthur

  • Maybe set it in a different region (Pacific Northwest? The Dakotas?)

  • Dive deeper into the technological revolution happening

  • Include more interactions with historical figures of the era

FAQ: My Thoughts on Red Dead's Future

Q: Wouldn't setting another game in the same era feel repetitive?

A: Not if they change the perspective! The same historical events look completely different depending on who's experiencing them.

Q: What about a game set much earlier in the Wild West?

A: Could be cool, but you'd lose that central tension of a way of life dying out. That's the secret sauce that makes RDR2 so emotionally impactful.

Q: When do you think we'll actually get a new Red Dead game?

A: Given Rockstar's development timeline, probably around the time my unborn children graduate college. So... 2035? 🤣

Q: What other characters from RDR2 deserve their own story?

A: Charles Smith, Sadie Adler, or young Hosea! Any of them would make fantastic protagonists with unique perspectives on the era.

As we sit here in 2025 still waiting for any official announcement about Red Dead Redemption 3, I can't help but think that the richness of the turn-of-the-century setting is still ripe for exploration. The Wild West may be dying in the game's timeline, but my enthusiasm for experiencing more stories from this pivotal moment in American history is very much alive and kicking. Just like tuberculosis in my last playthrough. Too soon?