Rockstar reportedly canned GTA 4 and Red Dead Redemption remasters
This isn't the first time a Red Dead Redemption remaster has been discussed
Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto 4 remasters were reportedly canned at Rockstar.
That's according to the tweet below from Tez2, a popular leaker among the Red Dead and GTA communities. This time, the tipster claims Rockstar was eyeing up remasters of GTA 4 and the original Red Dead Redemption "a few years ago," but "chose not to proceed with the projects in mind".
As per a reliable source with clear accuracy on Rockstar plans, remasters of GTA IV & RDR1 were on the table a few years ago, but Rockstar chose not to proceed with the projects in mind.The poor reception of the Trilogy DE might be a reason behind that decision.#GTAIV #RDR1July 4, 2022
As per the leaker, there's apparently no clear indication as to why both projects were passed on within Rockstar. The leaker hypothesizes that the poor critical reception to the Grand Theft Auto Remastered Trilogy could be a factor, but considering the trilogy launched late last year in 2021, and the two supposed remasters were canned "years ago," those two details don't quite line up.
A few hours after the initial information, the user followed up with some additional information. They confirm that the two planned remasters were never actually in active development at Rockstar, but more planned out with rough outlines. It seems as though Rockstar originally planned to develop these two remasters after the launch of the GTA Remastered Trilogy, but that isn't the case anymore.
Remasters of IV & RDR1 weren't in production, simply in the ideas phase and remained there for years.Rockstar's plan was to start with the Trilogy and follow up with IV & RDR1.The decision to greenlight more depended on the initial reception of the Trilogy.Kotaku last year: https://t.co/t80Ei4fNGZ pic.twitter.com/Hr0aDdXlbsJuly 4, 2022
Either way, it looks like we're still not getting Red Dead Redemption or GTA 4 remasters. However, it's worth noting that you can still play the original Red Dead Redemption on new-gen Xbox Series X/S console via backwards compatibility, and the game from Rockstar rarely retails at a premium price point.
The same can be said for GTA 4, which can also be played on Xbox Series X/S consoles via backwards compatibility. Despite this though, fans have been pining for a re-release of the beloved game for years, but according to this new report from the leaker, it doesn't look like they're getting that remaster anytime soon, if ever.
Another report claimed a Red Dead Redemption remaster was planned as of November 2021, but nothing has come of the claim since.
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Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.