Dan Houser: Red Dead Redemption 3 Would Be ‘Sad’ to Continue
Dan Houser Views Red Dead Redemption as a Completed Story Arc
Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games and the lead writer for both Red Dead Redemption and its prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, has offered a candid perspective on the future of the beloved Western series. Speaking recently on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Houser shared his belief that the saga centering on John Marston and Arthur Morgan forms a cohesive two-game arc that should perhaps remain untouched. He stated that the duology he helped craft is complete.
A Cohesive and Complete Narrative
Houser highlighted the thematic difference between the Western series and the Grand Theft Auto franchise. He noted that each Grand Theft Auto title largely operates as a standalone story. In contrast, the two Red Dead Redemption games are deeply intertwined. Red Dead Redemption 2 serves as a prequel, detailing the decline of the Van der Linde gang and setting up the tragic events of the first game.
Houser explained his feelings regarding the possibility of a third installment. “I think it probably would be, in some ways, sadder if someone continued on Red Dead, because it was a cohesive two-game arc,” he said. “That might be more sad to hear someone working on that.” His comments reflect his deep attachment to the tragic and personal story he developed for Arthur Morgan and John Marston.
The Inevitability of a Sequel
Despite his personal reservations about continuing the story, Houser conceded that a Red Dead Redemption 3 is highly likely. Having left Rockstar Games in 2020, he acknowledged that he no longer controls the intellectual property (IP). The massive commercial and critical success of Red Dead Redemption 2 makes a sequel an almost inevitable business decision for the current Rockstar leadership.
“But again, that probably will happen too,” Houser admitted. “I don’t own the IP. That was sort of part of the deal—it’s a privilege to work on stuff, but you don’t necessarily own it.” Houser’s remarks underscore the powerful impact the Western setting had on him, calling the duology the “best single realization of open-world storytelling [and] thematic consistency” he ever worked on.
About Red Dead Redemption
Set in 1911 in the midst of a desert and cowboy land, players take on the role of John Marston, embarking on a series of missions in exchange for liberation from captivity and the safety of their beloved family with a betrayal theme. Similar to GTA games, but it adds a dimension to horseback riding instead of modern cars, or it can be skills such as slowing down scenes and using horse whip ropes.
THIS IS our take:
Dan Houser’s sentiment perfectly captures the deep emotional resonance of the Red Dead Redemption duology. He is right: the narrative of John and Arthur is a complete, beautiful, and tragic bookend to the Wild West era. While the IP is too valuable for Rockstar to ignore, a Red Dead Redemption 3 would likely need to drop the “Redemption” subtitle and focus on a totally new character and time period to honor the cohesive story that Houser so skillfully completed for the global audience, including in Southeast Asia.
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