Red Dead Redemption 3

We, the fans of the Red Dead Redemption franchise, call on Rockstar to officially declare development on the next installment in the series with Red Dead Redemption 3. Although I am not affiliated with Rockstar nor have any influence over its employees or projects, I propose the following as a bare-bones draft to frame the concept of a Red Dead Redemption 3.

PREQUEL TO THE PREQUEL
As fans know, Red Dead Redemption ends with Jack Marston killing Edgar Ross in 1914 which is the same year World War I begins. This is a pivotal moment in both history and technology where weapons became far more advanced and sophisticated. This would not fit into the Wild West theme of the franchise. Thus, continuing the franchise following Jack Marston's life would not make sense from a story or market perspective. The game would have to be changed far too much to accommodate the advancement of technology, and would simply become yet another war game.

The game could follow the story of Sadie Adler, the widow turned bounty hunter from Red Dead Redemption 2. In that game's epilogue, she mentions she may travel into South America to fight revolutionaries and chase bounties. While this fits into the same time as Red Dead Redemption when players are experiencing John Marston's story, a South America theme still would not fit into the Wild West motif for which the franchise is famed. The island of Guarma and ideas of the Van Der Linde gang migrating to Tahiti was certainly part of the game in Red Dead Redemption 2. However, it stood out against the general atmosphere of the Wild West as it would introduce entirely difficult cultures than what were part of the American West.

Instead of following the Jack Marston or Sadie Adler possibilities, I propose Red Dead Redemption 3 be the prequel to Red Dead Redemption 2. The lore established in Red Dead Redemption 2 has already set the stage for this. In the game, readers may come across the newspaper articles of Dutch and Hosea defrauding investors for a fake shipping company, ultimately being incarcerated for the crime. The game could start with the cinematics of the two gang founders escaping from their cells and finding their way from Ohio to California where they meet with future gang members. Throughout the course of the game, the player would go through the story of the Van Der Linde gang until the infamous Blackwater heist.

PLAYABLE CHARACTER
Naturally the player would not play as Dutch nor Hosea as they are pivotal characters in the two current games. So that begs the question: who would the player be in Red Dead Redemption 3? Fortunately, the gang's foundation is relatively ambiguous of when its members join and in what order they join. As we know from the events in Red Dead Redemption 2, Mac and Davey Callander were both gunmen for the gang. Although both die, Mac in particular is the ideal playable character. In Red Dead Redemption 2, players learn from Agent Milton that Mac Callander was killed by the Pinkertons in Blackwater following the botched heist. This puts Mac in the middle of the action, and provides Rockstar with the ideal redemption arc.

Playing as Mac Callander, the player could go through the founding of the gang with Dutch and Hosea as they have already met up with Miss Grimshaw and the youths Arthur Morgan and John Marston. As Mac Callander, missions to rob coaches, rob trains, hunt bounties, etc. provide opportunities for the gang to encounter other gang members such as Bill Williamson, Sean Macquire, Karen Jones, and the others up to the Blackwater heist. Naturally, the game would progress over many years as the gang is slowly built and migrate from one state to another in pursuit of Dutch's ideals. This also allows for Arthur and John to age properly to go into the events of Red Dead Redemption 2.

Furthermore, although Mac is briefly described to be a "vicious bastard" by other gang members, nothing in the lore prevents Rockstar from building him up as a redeemable character similar to Arthur and John. He could even go so far as to become something of a teacher to Arthur and John, teaching them how to shoot as the original "Dead Eye" sharpshooter, teaching both youngsters how to use the "Dead Eye" ability unique to the franchise. Throughout the game, Mac's honor meter would fluctuate based on the player's actions just like in the previous two games. Murdering/looting innocents and lawmen, allowing others to die needlessly, choosing to not help, etc. would all result in losing honor. Likewise, doing good deeds such as murdering rival gang members, helping lawmen, helping those in need, etc. would all increase honor - both extremes just like the previous games. Mac can certainly have a vicious and ruthless personality, but still have morals such as never harming women or children, or not dishonorably taking a life without some kind of justification. For instance, his moral compass would not allow him to murder a person who does not pose a threat to him. Otherwise, he would have zero problems with murdering an entire posse of lawmen or bounty hunters.

At this point, one might be wondering, "What would Mac's redemption moment be?" Easy. The Blackwater ferry heist. It was already established Mac refused to compromise his loyalties to the gang and chose to die a torturous death at the hands of the Pinkertons. Into the final chapter of the game, the player would somehow witness the events of Micah and Dutch planning the ferry heist and influence the actions of each member in the heist which somehow affects the outcome. For instance, Micah proposes certain members perform specific roles and positions, but Dutch asks Mac (the player) and could choose to go with Micah's plan, or change it to an alternate where gang members are given different roles and actions. In the aftermath, the player would have to help those gang members escape while fighting off the lawmen and Pinkerton agents. Allowing the game to progress to its inevitable conclusion, Mac is tortured and interrogated by the Pinkertons. He could very well attempt to fight back, refusing to give up any information, and is ultimately killed by Agent Milton.

PRIMARY ANTAGONISTS
The O'Driscoll Gang established in Red Dead Redemption 2 would be the ideal antagonists for the newly founded Van Der Linde gang. As players know, Dutch and Colm have a bitter hatred between them from Dutch murdering Colm's brother, and Colm murdering Dutch's lover. This presents a unique dynamic where both gangs are pursuing their own ideals across the American West. Already in the Red Dead lore, both gangs actively obstruct and antagonize each other at every opportunity. Having the two gangs clash between both leaders' ideals - Dutch's pursuit of individual liberties and freedoms versus Colm's pursuit of wealth and power - would give players a more immersive feel if rival gang members would actively pursue the player throughout the world map, inside towns/cities, and random interference with missions. With the use of A.I. the O'Driscoll rivals, in addition to bounty hunters and lawmen, could operate independently of other NPCs who may have have specific scripts and actions.

THE SETTING
With the game going further back in time, the core element - guns and gunplay - would not have to be changed much from what players experienced in Red Dead Redemption 2. The weapons that were used in that game largely could be transposed to Red Dead Redemption 3 with minimal alterations.

The world map is also mostly created through the first two games. With New Austin and West Elizabeth already being established in both games, those maps and towns could very easily be ported into a new game. The Grizzlies, the game's equivalent to Colorado, could also be ported to extend further north and northwest of New Austin and West Elizabeth than what it already is with Red Dead Redemption 2. The climate of New Austin and West Elizabeth, the game's equivalent to Texas, could be extended further west into the world map to include more desert regions for Arizona and New Mexico before extending into a game equivalent to California on the American frontier. Naturally, the world map would include some regions of Mexico similar to the maps in Red Dead Redemption.

Because the world map would be extended to essentially include those from both games, and the new regions for Arizona, New Mexico, and California areas, developers have more of a playground to enjoy. Not only can more towns and settlements with more cultures to explore, but historic details and Easter Eggs such as Native American tribes, cryptids, and mythologies could be included to really give the game that same masterpiece feeling from Red Dead Redemption 2.

CONCLUSION
It has been five years since the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, which was released eight years following the original Red Dead Redemption. Both games are well received by the gaming community, and both are considered to be true masterpieces from the Rockstar developers in nearly every category. With the advancement of new generation consoles and A.I. governance of NPC scripts and actions, Rockstar has a unique opportunity to make a game worthy of not only Game of the Year, but also Game of the Decade. The appeal of the Wild West for Rockstar's fans is much stronger than before as we become older and more appreciative of the attention to detail, complexity and nuances to each character's personality, and the richness of an open world game that truly feels alive.

We - the fans - are hungry for the next Red Dead Redemption story. Feed us Rockstar. Feed us...