History of Red Dead Redemption 2 in Timeline
Red Dead Redemption 2, developed by Rockstar Games, is a prequel to Red Dead Redemption set in 1899. Players control Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang, navigating the decline of the Wild West. The open-world gameplay features shootouts, robberies, hunting, and horseback riding. Players interact with NPCs and manage Arthur's honor through moral choices. The game world reacts to the player through a bounty system that triggers law enforcement and bounty hunter responses based on the player's actions and crimes.
1907: John Marston's life in 1907
In 1907, John Marston and his family attempt to lead honest lives, working at a ranch. After some time, he proposes to Abigail and eventually confronts Micah, leading to a final standoff involving Dutch. John kills Micah, claims the Blackwater stash to pay his debt, marries Abigail, and starts a new life on their ranch.
2010: Preliminary Work Begins
Following the release of Red Dead Redemption in 2010, preliminary work on Red Dead Redemption 2 began.
2010: Release of Red Dead Redemption
In 2010, the game Red Dead Redemption was released. Red Dead Redemption 2, released in 2018, is a prequel to it.
2011: Game Outline Completed
By mid-2011, Rockstar San Diego had a rough outline of the game Red Dead Redemption 2.
2012: Rough Scripts Completed
By late 2012, rough scripts of the game Red Dead Redemption 2 had been completed.
2013: Comparison to The Last of Us
In 2013, The Last of Us was released. Some critics would later compare the epilogue of Red Dead Redemption 2's narrative to The Last of Us.
2013: Recording Sessions Begin
In 2013, recording sessions for Red Dead Redemption 2 began, focusing on developing diverse characters within the Van der Linde gang.
October 2016: Analyst Predictions after Announcement
After the announcement of Red Dead Redemption 2 in October 2016, analysts made predictions about the game's sales performance, estimating millions of copies would be sold in its first quarter.
October 18, 2016: Official Announcement
On October 18, 2016, Rockstar Games officially announced Red Dead Redemption 2.
August 2017: Leaked Document Obtained
In August 2017, Trusted Reviews obtained a leaked document containing information about Red Dead Redemption 2, but hesitated to publish it until promotional material validated the claims.
2017: Original Expected Release
Originally due for release in the second half of 2017, Red Dead Redemption 2 was delayed twice.
February 2018: Trusted Reviews Leaks Features
In February 2018, Trusted Reviews published an article leaking several features of Red Dead Redemption 2, which included a first-person perspective and a battle royale mode in Red Dead Online.
July 2018: Best Selling Game Prediction
In July 2018, industry analyst Mat Piscatella predicted that Red Dead Redemption 2 would be the best-selling game of 2018.
October 2018: Release on Consoles
In October 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It generated US$725 million in sales from its opening weekend. It received critical acclaim.
October 2018: Second Best-Selling Game in the US
In October 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 was the second best-selling game in the United States, behind Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
October 2018: Sales Estimates Before Release
Shortly before the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 in October 2018, analysts provided various sales estimates for the game's first quarter and revenue projections for its first few days.
October 26, 2018: Game Release
On October 26, 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 was released after being delayed twice. Rockstar cited the need for extra development time for "polish".
November 2018: Referenced in South Park Episodes
In November 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 was referenced several times in the South Park episodes "Time to Get Cereal" and "Nobody Got Cereal?".
November 2018: Settlement with Take-Two Interactive
In November 2018, Trusted Reviews replaced the leaked article with an apology and, in a settlement with Take-Two Interactive, agreed to donate £1 million to charities chosen by Take-Two.
November 2018: YouTube Controversy
In November 2018, a YouTube channel was briefly suspended after posting videos of a player character murdering a female suffragette NPC in Red Dead Redemption 2, sparking discussions about misogyny and game design.
November 27, 2018: Red Dead Online Public Beta Release
On November 27, 2018, Red Dead Online, the multiplayer component of Red Dead Redemption 2, was released as a public beta for players who owned a special edition of the base game.
December 13, 2018: Cease and Desist Notice from Securitas AB
On December 13, 2018, Securitas AB, the parent company of the modern-day Pinkerton agency, issued a cease and desist notice to Take-Two Interactive, asserting that Red Dead Redemption 2's use of the Pinkerton name and badge imagery was against their trademark.
December 2018: Predicted Profitability
In December 2018, VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi predicted that Red Dead Redemption 2 would likely begin to earn a profit based on analyst estimates.
2018: Controversy Over Work Conditions
In 2018, Dan Houser mentioned 100-hour work weeks, leading to controversy about "crunch time" at Rockstar during the development of Red Dead Redemption 2. Other employees argued Houser's statements did not give an accurate picture of the company's culture.
2018: Game of the Year Awards
In 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 won over 175 Game of the Year awards from various outlets and award shows. At the Game Awards 2018, the game received eight nominations and won four awards.
2018: Release of Red Dead Redemption 2
In 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2, an action-adventure game, was released. It is the third entry in the Red Dead series and a prequel to the 2010 game Red Dead Redemption.
January 11, 2019: Take-Two Files Complaint Against Securitas
On January 11, 2019, Take-Two Interactive filed a complaint against Securitas AB, maintaining that the Pinkerton name was strongly associated with the Wild West, and its use did not infringe on the Pinkerton trademark.
March 2019: Ranked 24th by Popular Mechanics
In March 2019, Popular Mechanics ranked Red Dead Redemption 2 24th on its list of greatest games.
April 2019: Securitas Withdraws Claims
By April 2019, Securitas withdrew its claims against Take-Two Interactive, and Take-Two moved to withdraw its complaint.
May 15, 2019: End of Red Dead Online Public Beta
On May 15, 2019, the public beta for Red Dead Online ended, and player progression carried over.
November 5, 2019: Windows Release
On November 5, 2019, Red Dead Redemption 2 was released for Windows with visual and technical improvements.
November 2019: Release on Windows and Stadia
In November 2019, Red Dead Redemption 2 was released for Windows and Stadia. The Windows version had visual and technical improvements.
November 2019: Windows Version Launch
In November 2019, the Windows version of Red Dead Redemption 2 was launched, selling 406,000 copies.
November 19, 2019: Stadia Launch Title
On November 19, 2019, Red Dead Redemption 2 was released as a launch title for Stadia.
April 2020: Improved Work Conditions
By April 2020, several Rockstar employees reported that the company had made significant changes regarding work conditions, and many were cautiously optimistic about Rockstar's future.
July 2020: Mashable's Second Favorite Game
In July 2020, Dylan Haas of Mashable considered Red Dead Redemption 2 his second favorite game of all time, citing its realism, world, characters, and narrative.
November 2020: Ranked Among Greatest Games of Eighth Generation
In November 2020, TechRadar listed Red Dead Redemption 2 among the greatest games of the eighth generation, with editor Gerald Lynch noting it set the bar for believable open world games.
December 1, 2020: Standalone Client Release for Red Dead Online
On December 1, 2020, a standalone client for Red Dead Online was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One.
2020: Maintained Top Chart Placement in the US
In 2020, Red Dead Redemption 2 remained in the top charts in the United States for the first half of the year and was the fifteenth-best-selling game in Australia.
July 2021: Study Finds Increased Understanding of Ecology
In July 2021, a study published by the University of Exeter and Truro and Penwith College found that Red Dead Redemption 2 players had an increased understanding of ecology and animal behavior.
November 2021: Ranked 28th by GamesRadar+
In November 2021, GamesRadar+ ranked Red Dead Redemption 2 28th on its list of top 50 games, describing it as "one of the best sandbox games ever made".
2021: Sixth Best-Selling Game in the UK
In 2021, Red Dead Redemption 2 was the sixth best-selling game in the United Kingdom.
April 2022: Ranked Second-Best Game by GamingBolt
In April 2022, GamingBolt's Ravi Sinha ranked Red Dead Redemption 2 the second-best game of all time, citing its characters, narrative, attention to detail, and visual fidelity.
April 2022: Virtual Photographer of the Year Award
Joe Meizies won Virtual Photographer of the Year at the London Games Festival in April 2022 for his virtual photography in Red Dead Redemption 2.
July 2022: End of Major Updates for Red Dead Online
In July 2022, Rockstar announced that Red Dead Online would no longer receive major updates, with development resources shifting to Grand Theft Auto VI.
2022: Sales Reach 50 Million
In 2022, Red Dead Redemption 2 reached 50 million in sales.
2022: Ninth Best-Selling Game in the UK
In 2022, Red Dead Redemption 2 was the ninth best-selling game in the United Kingdom.
May 2023: Ranked 15th-Best Game by GQ Survey
In May 2023, a survey of over 200 developers, journalists, and content creators by GQ ranked Red Dead Redemption 2 the 15th-best game.
2023: Inspiration for Zelda Game
In 2023, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom producer Eiji Aonuma said open-world games like Red Dead Redemption 2 inspired the developers.
2023: Tombstone Redemption Fan Event
In 2023, Tombstone Redemption, a Red Dead Redemption fan event organized by Kenney Palkow, was held in Tombstone, Arizona, with an estimated 10,000 attendees.
August 2024: Publication of Red Dead's History
In August 2024, Tore Olsson published a book titled Red Dead's History, with the audiobook narrated by Roger Clark.
January 2025: Ranked 16th-Best Game by Rolling Stone
In January 2025, Rolling Stone ranked Red Dead Redemption 2 the 16th-best game, with Ashley Bardhan praising its lavishly designed open world.
September 2025: Sales Reach 79 Million
By September 2025, Red Dead Redemption 2 sales had surpassed 79 million copies, with yearly sales ranging from six to nine million.
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