Fans are Furious over Uninspiring and Overpriced Red Dead Redemption Port

Red Dead Redemption port has been announced for PS4 and Nintendo Switch, and it is not receiving the most wholesome homecoming

Credit: Soopez

When they heard about a new announcement in the Red Dead universe, excitement was in the air for Rockstar fans. However, the reveal has left them feeling quite the opposite. Instead of a remaster or a remake, the project is a mere port of Red Dead Redemption for the Nintendo Switch and PS4/PS5. What's worse, it's not even being developed by Rockstar but instead by Double Eleven Studios. Fans are worried that this outsourced project will end up like the disastrous launch of GTA Definitive Edition.

Red Dead Redemption, the classic from 2010, is set to hit PS4 and Nintendo Switch consoles on August 17. While physical copies will be available on October 13, it's important to note that Rockstar is calling this a “Conversion” rather than a full-blown remake or remaster. However, the hefty price tag of $50 for a decade-old title has caused quite a stir among fans who feel that this move is a lazy and greedy cash grab from the once-revered company, Rockstar.

Red dead redemption, what we wanted:
– Remake, the map is in rdr 2 already
– 60 fps
– Dualsene features
– Only current gen version (Ps5, Xbox series, good PC)
– The ultimate version

What we GOT:
– a 30 fps port
– no 60 fps
– no remake or remaster
– Rockstar not caring ☹️ pic.twitter.com/8BWHtK7SEM

— Pyo 5️⃣ (@mrpyo1) August 7, 2023

Fans were ecstatic at the prospect of a complete remake of Red Dead Redemption, hoping for a visually stunning upgrade that would rival the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2; just like The Last of Us Part I did with The Last of Us Part II. Unfortunately, Rockstar has disappointed them with a new PlayStation 4 and Switch version that looks identical to its original PS3 and Xbox 360 counterparts. 

To make matters worse, there's no announced support for 60 FPS, leaving fans to speculate that it will run at the same level as the old game’s 30 FPS. The most optimal method of experiencing Red Dead Redemption on contemporary devices is via Xbox One/Series X/S backward compatibility. And why is that you may ask? You won't need to fork out another $50 just to acquire the game, and that’s a starter.

On Reddit, a user expressed frustration with the $50 price tag for a simple port of a 13-year-old game. “I mean, I bought the GOTY edition for only $10 to play it on my One X in 4k,” they wrote. Another user regrettably pointed out that the top post in r/reddeadredemption was “Don't buy red dead redemption.” It's worth noting that the upcoming port will not be available on PC.

pic.twitter.com/2zOFJl8TgE

— jericho681 | 𝕁 (@jericho681) August 7, 2023

Fans have been buzzing about a quote from Strauss Zelnick, the head of Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two, back in 2011. He talked about their approach to remastering games, saying they don't just do a quick port but instead take the time to make the game genuinely different for the new release and technology it's launching on. They improve the feel, upgrade the visuals, and make performance enhancements. With their recent records, however, can we not conclude that this quote has aged like milk?

In November 2021, the GTA Trilogy, developed by a third party, was released by Rockstar. Unfortunately, critics and fans were disappointed by the release due to technical issues. It's been rumored that a complete remaster of Red Dead Redemption got scrapped due to the disastrous release of the GTA Definitive Edition in 2021. However, Rockstar is attempting to have it both ways by releasing the game for newer consoles with significantly less effort put into it bundled with a hefty price tag.

Fans express their disappointment with the game's upcoming port, labeling it a “cash grab.” The port lacks significant graphical or FPS improvements and the original's multiplayer mode. Naturally, this news has spawned many memes, with some jesting about the long-awaited game finally being available on a Nintendo platform.

red dead redemption on the nintendo switch pic.twitter.com/XxzekyhNn3

— jake (@AC_Roald) August 7, 2023

Red Dead Redemption is galloping onto PS4 and Switch digitally on August 17th. The buzz is already building about how the game will perform, and we can't wait to see the analysis. The future of the Red Dead series is still being determined as Rockstar turns its attention to the highly anticipated GTA 6. Will they create another Red Dead game during GTA's reign, or is this the franchise's end? Only time will tell.

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