Red Dead Redemption has been running on true, native 4K on the Xbox One X and, by extension, the Xbox Series S/X, for some time. Now, the PlayStation 5 is finally joining the party.
Rockstar Games dropped a new update for the much-maligned (but still very commercially successful) PlayStation and Nintendo Switch port of the 2010 title, Red Dead Redemption. While it isn’t explicitly listed in the patch notes, PS5 users will see that they now have the option to run the open-world western at 60 FPS (and 4K resolution).
It’s a marked upgrade that helps justify the $50 purchase for something that’s been available on the Xbox platforms for five years.
A few months back, Red Dead Redemption’s re-release on modern platforms was officially confirmed, disappointing its fans. Many expected a more substantial effort, preferably a remake of the 13-year-old title following the earlier leaks. It didn’t help that the game didn’t come with significant graphical or performance upgrades at launch. Take Two Interactive CEO, Strauss Zelnick, was adamant that the pricing was “commercially accurate”.
In hindsight, Zelnick appears to be right. Whether it was intentional or as a response to the initial backlash, its latest re-release of Red Dead Redemption now adds tremendous value for gamers interested in either taking a return trip or making their maiden voyage in what’s widely considered one of the most influential video games of all time.
All that’s missing now is for Red Dead Redemption to come to the PC, but that doesn’t seem likely anytime soon.
The timing of the “secret” update for Red Dead Redemption is out of the left field until you realize that Rockstar’s plan is to release the physical version of the remastered port on October 13. The upgraded graphics and frame rates on the PS5 should give more players an incentive to spend $50 on a physical copy. If nothing else, PS5 owners are getting a bit more from their purchase. Even though it’s still missing the multiplayer component, PS5 owners benefit from additional Ray Tracing mode and DualSense support.
Rockstar Games telegraphed last year that it’s all-in on the next Grand Theft Auto game after cutting off support to Red Dead Online, effectively dashing any chances of seeing the then-still-rumored remasters of Grand Theft Auto 4 and Red Dead Redemption. However, the recent developments suggest it has a bit of free time to pursue other projects. Hopeful fans are now looking forward to other surprises that Rockstar might have in store, like a remaster of GTA 4 or a next-gen port of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Either would sell like hotcakes on the open market, which is why it’s surprising that Rockstar hasn’t taken advantage of the demand just yet. Millions will willingly give $50 to $70 for either game, mitigating potential backlash.
Speaking of backlash, Rockstar better brace itself for the onslaught of negative comments after users caught wind of its now-not-so-secret addition of AI software to Grand Theft Auto Online on the PC. But, maybe, just maybe, players will be too busy trying to keep up with all of the GTA 6 leaks to care.
