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The rumor mill had been churning for years, with the anticipation of a possibleRed Dead Redemptionremaster or remake growing ever higher. When Rockstar made the announcement that John Marston would make a comeback earlier this month, fans should have been thrilled to jump back in the saddle. Instead, they were left disappointed. The studio released a ‘conversion’of the game – no remake, no remaster, simply a re-release of the originalRed Dead Redemption. However, a new leak suggests we may have almost gotten something bigger. Did Rockstar axe aRed Dead Redemptionremaster somewhere along the way?
Leak suggests Red Dead Redemption remaster may have been in development
Rockstar Games Presents Red Dead Redemptionwas released digitally on August 17th. Launching on PlayStation 4 (backward compatible with PlayStation 5) and Nintendo Switch, John Marston and his crew have escaped the confines of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox platforms for the first time. However, the absence of upgrades and features, and a steep$50 price taghad fans venting their anger about the re-release of a game that originally launched in 2010.
Also read:“Overpriced. What a Farce”: Fans Vent their Anger over Red Dead Redemption ‘Conversion’
Twitter user @NationalPepper dug a little deeper and scoured leaked files of the Nintendo Switch version of theRed Dead Redemptionre-release, looking for clues pointing to a possible remaster. Interestingly, he found that the game is referenced as a‘remaster’in the internal files instead of a‘conversion’as the studio labels it publicly.
It seems that RDR conversion made by Double Eleven Studios was initially called “RDR Remaster”.
At least this is what we see in the leaked symbols from the Switch version. The executable is called “rdrremaster.exe”. yikes.
P.S. Not sure why the engine needs to know its name.🤔pic.twitter.com/LawR9gkB5K
— Vadim M. (@NationalPepper)July 02, 2025
Vadim M., who is known for investigating the complexities of Rockstar’s games, found an executable in the data files named‘rdrremaster.exe.’This may have simply been the label used internally with no further meaning. It could, however, also suggest that the studio was originally working on a remaster of the open-world Western but changed its plans at some stage during development.
If something bigger was originally in the works, what could have led Rockstar to scrap aRed Dead Redemptionremaster?
Also read:Fan-Made Red Dead Redemption Image Shows Everyone How Badly Rockstar Messed Up
Is the GTA: The Trilogy disaster to blame?
The disastrous launch ofGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Editionmight provide the smoking gun. The studio released a remaster of the original trio ofGTAgames in 2021, which turned out to be a buggy mess and even caused the studio to lose some standing with its fans. It didn’t just go down in history as one of Rockstar’s worst releases, it also became one of thelowest user-rated gamesof all time.
It’s likely this led Rockstar to change course and hold its horses on aRed Dead Redemptionremaster to avoid another such debacle. Opting for a mere port of the original game may have seemed like a much safer option for the studio, leading it to scrap the remaster. Odds are this may also affect any potential future remasters/remakes of its other games, with fans already assumingGTA IVwill see a similar fate.
What are your thoughts on theRed Dead Redemptionre-release? Would you like to see a remaster of the hit open-world Western? Tell us in the comments!
Source:ComicBook
Lisa Kamlot
Articles Published :101
Lisa is a passionate gaming writer with an insatiable appetite for all things gaming. When she’s not diving into virtual worlds, she’s riding waves as a dedicated surfer. She’s always on a quest for adventure – both in the digital realm and IRL.
