It is no wonder that many fans are already curious about a potentialRed Dead Redemption 3, with the title’s 2018 predecessor being such a culturally significant and well-received release across the gaming industry. While a threequel has not even been confirmed yet, many are already curious as to where it could go, who it could see, and what all it could entail, especially with Rockstar’s typical eye for detail.
It is clear thatRed Dead Redemption 3already has the challenge of living up toRDR2yet also carving out its own identity, though there seems to be one aspect in particular that is most desperately in need of change. While the iconic Van Der Linde gang has long provided gripping narratives for theRDRfranchise, it seems necessary thatRed Dead Redemption 3leaves this particular outlaw group in the dust.
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The Previous Narratives of the Van Der Linde Gang
The Van Der Linde gang has been a huge narrative plot point for theRed Deadfranchise, introduced in the original game first. InRDR,the gang is introduced as the cutthroatex-group of protagonist John Marston, who has to hunt down the most prolific members of the gang to appease the authorities and see his family.
In this way, it is clear just how important the gang is to the narrative of the firstRDR, with the player becoming deeply familiar with the likes of the eponymous Dutch van der Linde, Javier Escuella, Bill Williamson, and of course John Marston. The narrative presence of the gang was taken a step further withinRed Dead Redemption 2, with the title boldly telling a prequel tale of the Van Der Linde gang prior to its collapse. This sequel maintained the aforementioned characters of the firstRDRwhile introducingmemorable new ones such as Arthur Morgan, telling a comprehensive tale of how the Van Der Linde gang operated at its peak, as well as what brought about its eventual decline.
While Rockstar has plenty of options whencrafting the narrative ofRed Dead Redemption 3, it is worth exploring the possibilities of what the game could achieve outside the constraints of the Van Der Linde gang. TheRDRfranchise has been narratively absorbed by the group for almost a decade, with arguably the most interesting portions of the group’s existence having already been portrayed.
Like 2004’sRed Dead Revolver,RDR3should tell an entirely unique tale away from the Van Der Linde gang, opening up a huge potential for alternative timeframes and locations that can instead be explored. Of course, the period of the Old West is synonymous withRDR, but there are plenty of stories to be told there without Dutch’s gang.
There is no reason that survivingVan Der Linde gang members such as Charlescould not appear in some capacity withinRed Dead Redemption 3, but the main portion of the game’s narrative should exist completely away from the group. While it would be nice to see some small nods toward the franchise’s past narratives, it seems clear thatRDR3should be the game to finally lay the Van Der Linde gang to rest. In doing so, the franchise would open doors to even more intriguing plotlines and make sure thatRDR3isn’t overshadowed by its predecessor.
Red Dead Redemption 3is not confirmed to be in development.
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