Why Everyone Hates The Red Dead Redemption Port

On August 17th, Rockstar announced the arrival of Red Dead Redemption Port on the PS4 and Switch

It’s no stretch to say Red Dead Redemption has left a large impression on players.  After all,  this gritty Western laid the foundation of its sequel,  which was a step up in exploration,  game mechanics,  and level of detail.  So, of course,  when Rockstar announced the arrival of Red Dead Redemption on the PS4 and Switch,  it made headlines.  The news dropped on August 17th, introducing the Western epic and its eerie DLC,  Undead Nightmare,  to the Nintendo Switch and modern PlayStation systems. The initial excitement around this announcement could be attributed to previous speculation surrounding a potential Red Dead Redemption remaster.

Online chatter had fueled high expectations of visual overhauls and significant enhancements.  Devoted Red Dead enthusiasts were sent into a frenzy when Rockstar breathed new life into the original game’s logo on their official website. 

With the revamped banner boldly declaring Rockstar Games presents Red Dead Redemption,  speculation ran wild,  igniting fervent discussions that the brilliant minds of Rockstar were at long last ready to unveil a monumental remake of their iconic Wild West masterpiece.

The stunning revelation?  A Red Dead Redemption 1 conversion for last-gen consoles and the Nintendo Switch,  at the price of $50.  Not a remake,  not a remaster,  but just a port.  And with one stroke,  they killed off all the hype the marketing team built up.  All things considered,  the move to bring Red Dead Redemption to more consoles can be seen as a positive. However,  their pricing strategy leaves a lot to be desired.  The price range might not initially sound too steep,  but the real problem emerges when you begin drawing comparisons to the original Xbox 360 release.  Most of you already know that the game is accessible for the Xbox 360,  thanks to the Xbox One and Xbox Series Backwards compatibility feature.  That’s also why there’s no new Xbox version in the works.  It’s already available in the platform.  And when you factor in the $30 price tag,  things get a bit uneven.

Now to be fair,  this price doesn’t account for the Undead Nightmare DLC pack,  which will cost you an additional $10,  or any of the extras from the Game of the Year edition.  But no matter how you slice it,  the PS4 and Switch version end up being pricier.  One can’t help but wonder about the motivations behind this decision. 

The gaming industry has seen its fair share of remasters,  remakes,  and ports over the years.  While remasters often promise enhanced graphics,  improved mechanics,  and overall quality of life changes, ports typically focus on making the game playable on newer hardware without substantial alterations.  Rockstar’s decision to choose the port route when they could have refined the game by including improved mechanics from an extremely well-received sequel is puzzling.  This isn’t the first instance of a developer choosing a less ambitious route when updating beloved classics.  The balance between preserving the essence of the original and modernizing the gameplay experience is a challenge that many studios grapple with.

Chances are,  it will probably render at a higher resolution,  and there’s a possibility that certain bugs will be ironed out.  Some quality of life improvements might also be incorporated,  but ultimately,  it remains the same old Red Dead Redemption you’re accustomed to,  with just one exception.  There’s no multiplayer.  I don’t think a lot of people are looking forward to this port.  If I’m being honest,  it’s just so lackluster.  But irrespective of the price or the level of effort invested in enhancing the game, it’s undeniably a good thing that this game will now be accessible to a larger audience. 

Speaking of a larger audience,  PC gaming stands as one of the most significant gaming markets,  outdone only by the cancer that is mobile gaming,  which holds an even larger share.  Steam alone boasts approximately 132 million active users every month.  And considering that PC gaming extends well beyond the confines of Steam,  the actual number is likely even higher.  Which brings us to the next problem.

 The port won’t even be available on PC.  They’re releasing a port for the Switch,  but not for PCs.  Let that sink in for a moment.  And you know what?  Gamers are pretty much divided on almost everything.  But if there’s one thing we can all agree on,  it’s that the Red Dead Redemption port sucks and costs way too much for what it actually is.  The Red Dead Redemption port is red.  And based on the community’s overwhelmingly negative feedback,  it’s definitely dead.

That’s where the port stops living up to its name.  There will be no redemption.  What do you guys think? 

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