The consensus among critics and players reaffirms Red Dead Redemption 2 as an unmatched masterpiece within the open-world genre of Rockstar Games. The gaming experience has left a deep mark on the industry, but few know that its narrative journey could have begun in a completely different way.
A very striking start
In a recent interview, Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar, revealed that the game was originally going to start with a rather shocking scene: Arthur Morgan, the protagonist, holds a recently deceased baby. However, this vision was discarded by the development team, as they felt it was too harsh and could cause players to develop a hatred towards Arthur from the beginning. According to Houser, the decision to change this beginning was key to allowing for a more complex and acceptable redemption arc for the user.
“I made Arthur very, very unpleasant at first; I thought it would be interesting to play around with that,” Houser commented. Although the final version of Arthur Morgan is not a role model, his presentation is significantly more likable, which, according to Houser, was the right decision from a business perspective. This has allowed his development as a character to be much more engaging and sustainable throughout the course of the game.
With the success of the Red Dead saga, many fans are wondering if Rockstar could continue this narrative with a Red Dead Redemption 3. Although Houser has mentioned that this “may happen,” he emphasizes that the final decision will depend on Take-Two Interactive, the parent company that owns the rights to the franchise. This comment has added a new layer of curiosity among fans about the future of this iconic game series.
