Red Dead Redemption 3: A Sequel or yet another Prequel ?

Red Dead Redemption 3 is probably the second-most awaited Rockstar game after GTA 6.

After the grand success of Red Dead Redemption 2, a third installment in the franchise is inevitable. The least to say, Red Dead Redemption 3 is just a matter of when and not can.

Over the years, Rockstar has built a reputation of releasing the next installments of some of their most popular franchisees like, Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption after a long period of time. After the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 people started demanding GTA 6. It has already almost 3 years since Red Dead Redemption 2 came, and around 8 years since GTA 5 released, and there are still no signs of GTA 6 and if Rockstar decides to start working on RDR 3, it will only happen after the release of Grand Theft Auto 6.

So, it should not take a genius mind to make out that Red Dead Redemption 3 is still many years away.

That hasn’t stopped players from discussing what they’d want out of a new game. The rich storyline and setting opens the door for a ton of possibilities, while a ton of Red Dead Redemption 2 characters are deserving of their own game. Sequel or prequel for Red Dead 3, with Jack Marston, Sadie Adler, or even Arthur Morgan as protagonists, are all things that have been tossed around. One recent discussion, however, is perhaps more interesting than others.

Redditor Theyeet7 made an thought-provoking post on the game’s subreddit, simply calling for a prequel with Hosea as the protagonist. There’s a few questions that fit around a potential Red Dead 3: will it be a sequel to the original, where players take on the role of Jack Marston as WWI happens? Many feel that the time frame is too limiting, and so to many, yet another Red Dead Redemption prequel makes sense. In that case, many have called for another game with Arthur Morgan or Sadie Adler as the Red Dead protagonist, meaning Hosea is a bit of an oddball.

Here, we’ll discuss some amazing Red Dead Redemption 3 ideas, that could make it a fantastic sequel or prequel:

Red Dead Redemption 3: The Story of Jack Marston

In Red Dead Redemption, Agent Ross promised John to let him reunite with his family and allow them live peacefully, if he helps them to capture or terminate his former gang members, namely, Dutch Van der Linde, Bill Williamson and Xavier Escuella.

Well, we all know how that ended.

Jack Marston, son of John Marston, in the end, avenges his father and kills Agent Ross for betraying John Marston by leading a small army in an attack on his ranch and subsequently, shooting him dead. This leaves a slight hint of possibility of their being a sequel, continuing the story of Jack Marston in Red Dead Redemption 3. The same was predicted by many players, to be the main plot-line of the sequel of Red Dead Redemption when the game had originally come out in 2010.

However, it is a bit more complicated than it seems. As a minor detail to notice here is the year in which Jack Marston killed Agent Ross. The year is 1914, which is around the time period where the world was entering a new era of civilization. The time of outlaws and cowboys had almost come to an end.

So it wouldn’t be easy for makers to present a convincing sequel in a franchisee which is clearly based on the Wild West of America, during a time-line when the Wild West was mostly tamed. However, if they could show the story of Jack Marston during this transition and how he adapts to this new world order as World War 1 happens, it would be worth playing.

Red Dead Redemption 3: Sadie Adler goes to South America

Of all the other female characters in RDR 2, Sadie Adler happens to be one of the strongest characters and carries all the ingredients in her story-line to make a perfect sequel. After her husband gets killed in the game, the character of Sadie Adler sees drastic change throughout the game. For those who have played the game, they must have noticed two different shades of Sadie. She is a different person in the beginning and a totally different person by the end of the game. She assists Arthur and later John, throughout the game.

After the events of Red Dead Redemption 2, it’s heavily implied that the blood-hungry widow, Sadie Adler travels to South America, where it’s likely she would take up work as a bounty hunter. Sadie is one of the most interesting members of the van der Linde gang, in large part due to the revenge she seeks following her husband’s murder.

She’s also a cold-hearted murderer, who may go to any extent to wipe-out all those people who killed her husband. It would be a lot of fun to play as Sadie hunting down criminals and carving out a new life in the Southern continent.

However, it isn’t that easy as it seems. The negative aspect of this story arc would be the departure from Old West, which is the essence of the Red Dead series. Rockstar has proven to be so good at world-building though, that a brand new setting could be thrilling.

Red Dead Redemption 3: The Legendary Gunslinger

The first two Red Dead games were set in the final stages of the era of gunslingers and outlaws. The Wild West was at the verge of extinction. Even Red Dead Redemption 2 suggests that by the end of 18th century most of the Wild West was tamed, as America had better law and order and was moving towards a more industrial age.

But if Red Dead Redemption 3 is set in a timeline when the Wild West was at its peak, it would be a whole new experience, and to highlight that there is already a perfect character who would be a great protagonist: legendary gunslinger Landon Ricketts.

His story spans several locations from the Southwest to Mexico, and we already know he has a redemption arc, siding with the police at Blackwater after a life of crime. This would be an interesting departure from the van der Linde gang without completely leaving the world they inhabit. However, Ross Hagen, who voiced Ricketts, passed away in 2011 and Rockstar may not be comfortable with replacing him for an entire game.

Red Dead Redemption 3: The Prime of Dutch Van Der Linde

Well, no one can deny the fact that Dutch van der Linde is one of the smartest characters from the gaming world that players love to hate. His leadership fanatics, his zest to live a free life, not willing to get tamed by system, and the confidence in his voice when he says he has everything sorted despite knowing he has screwed big time, makes him a perfect rebel and story worth exploring.

He always has a plan, even if they often go awry, as well as an unhealthy affection for the island of Tahiti. The enigmatic gang leader is an essential part of both Red Dead games, though he’s featured much more prominently in the second. Elements of the gang’s history are teased out over the course of the two adventures and it sounds fascinating.

However, if Rockstar Games decide to make a plot on Dutch in his prime, it would be really intriguing.

Red Dead Redemption 3 could have players take the role of Dutch, recruiting members of his gang and establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with. Fan favorites like Arthur and John could feature heavily in the story, as well as other members of the gang like Hosea. The plot could culminate in the infamous Blackwater Massacre, too.

Red Dead Redemption 3: A Fresh Character

Another viable option for Rockstar is to delve into stories and characters completely unrelated to the first two Red Dead games. Still set in the Old West, a new game could take place at any point in its storied history and involve a brand new protagonist. This time instead of being an outlaw, I would prefer the protagonist to be a Sheriff or some undercover agent who joins a gang just to dismantle it.

Some easter eggs from the previous games would make this third installment even more special. Perhaps these could be presented through newspaper clippings or conversations with non-playable characters.

But, it would be a refreshing shift if Rockstar were to leave the story of the van der Linde gang as it is. Perhaps the team could focus on a Native American character and draw inspiration from historical events like the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, or perhaps the preceding Great Sioux War of 1876. There are so many directions Rockstar could take.

Anyway, with games like GTA Rockstar have established have reputation of not repeating characters, story-line and sometimes even locations, except a few honorable mentions.