One question that anyone who knows more about the history of the Old West might have is what era will Red Dead Redemption 2’s sequel take place during. Red Dead Redemption 3 has multiple directions it could go, as the first game takes place chronologically after the second game. However, there are complicating factors as to what time period the next game will take place in, given the history of America that is known at the time. While the game is fictional, it is based on a real-time period that was at the very least portrayed to be accurate.

Red Dead Redemption 2’s portrayal of the Old West was purported to be as accurate as they could make a fictional version, right down to the likely too-detailed parts of horse anatomy. Because of the timeline of the games, players can match what is seen in the game to what happened in American history. That leaves the fate and era of the third game up for debate, as the Old West changed irrevocably by the end of both games.

RDR2 Saw The End Of The Old West

The Fading End Of A Lost Era In American History

While Red Dead Redemption 2 functions as a prequel, it does flash forward a bit near the end. Taking place in 1907, the end of the game is firmly in the 20th century. While not much is seen of the rest of the world in the short sequence players get, there is a lot that could be taken from history. Teddy Roosevelt was the president of the U.S. at the time, near the end of his second term.

Red Dead Redemption takes place even further into the future, where the post-game content is set in 1914. Between 1907 and 1914, the idea of the frontier faded from history almost in its entirety, due to several different factors that contributed to the fall of the West.

What’s notable about the Old West at this time is the slow disappearance of the wild areas in the U.S., leading Roosevelt to create National Parks to ensure the preservation of some of the natural land. There was also an economic slump during this time, and while the industrial area had started in the northeast earlier in time, the rest of the country was following in full swing as the South was slowly being rebuilt in the wake of the Civil War. Additionally, with the coming of the transcontinental railroads also came a large industrial push into the Old West, and the end of the frontier.

With many Americans fleeing west or hoping for a better life on the frontier, the amount of open land began shrinking. This is seen throughout the games, as the gang starts to see fewer and fewer returns, as the cities grow bigger, and more influence from the East starts to take over. Cities like Denver started attracting large industrial operations, among other places scattered throughout the Old West. With the frontier slowly being taken over and more federal oversight, the charm of the Old West faded, something each of the game’s protagonists remark on several times.

What If RDR3 Isn't A Prequel, But Is Set In The 1900s

A Complex Era Filled With Potential

While there is some speculation that Red Dead Redemption 3 could be a prequel just as much as the second game was, there are plenty of opportunities to explore if it was instead set firmly in the 1900s. It could take place between 1907 and 1914, but players can already fill in a lot of those gaps in of what happens to the primary protagonists.

But what if the game leaned into the emerging era? What if instead, the game followed history’s progression into a new era firmly in the late 1900s and early 1910s? There’s a lot of history to explore, references that could be made, and the tensions of a war on the horizon.

The Gilded Age in the East ended around the same time as the Old West, bringing both eras to a close as a new cultural movement of Progressivism swept in. Despite its name, a large number of technological advances, political upheavals, and the rise of the middle class changed the landscape of the entire country forever, and not necessarily for the better. It is this changing landscape that the third game could play with history in a new way once more.

The Benefits Of Exploring A New Era In RDR3

A New Era Means A New Gameplay Experience & New Adventures

The benefits of having a new era to explore are numerous. While the “cowboy outlaw” might not be timely, a new type of outlaw might emerge. The early 1900s are rife with the rise of organized crime, with the push for Prohibition also starting near the end of Red Dead Redemption. As an example, Al Capone arrived in Chicago in 1919, the same year Prohibition started, and organized crime became larger. Likewise, Arthur’s interference with the KKK could be tied into a game during this time period.

The games already deal with complex themes and the idea of cyclical violence. The Van Der Lind gang and both Arthur and John’s relationship with them is a good example of this. A sequel having to deal with the complexities of the new landscape would have plenty more to say. There are games that already take place in this kind of era in the East, but it is not explored in the West as much. Jack’s experience as the Old West turns into a more industrial and organized land allows the game to explore those themes in a new way.

It also changes the map and gives players a slightly different experience. The last continental state, Arizona, is added in 1912 and marked the end of the frontier in many ways. Instead, that frontier moves north into Alaska. Now, Red Dead Redemption 3 could become a different type of Western in the Alaskan frontier, if Jack has to flee even further to escape his father’s legacy, which would be exciting and new to explore. However, staying in the same landscape which looks completely different is also a way to give players an entirely new experience without moving.

How Likely Is It That RDR3 Won't Be A Western?

Would A New Era Sit With Players The Same Way?

While the idea of an industrialized West on the verge of World War I and rife with city-style organized crime would be fascinating to explore, it is likely that the games stick to the Western genre to play to the audience. However, the first game subverted a lot of expectations, so it is possible the developers will choose to do something new to surprise players. As stated, both could be true if they moved the Western into Alaska, although it would still have a much different flavor than the traditional Old West.

Time will tell what the developers choose to do, but the early 1900s are filled with high stakes, lots of potential drama, and a new style of gang for the players to interact with. While it may be different, it also gives players a new experience and is not a clone of either of the other games. Whether or not Red Dead Redemption 3 ends up being a sequel, the developers need to find a way to make it feel unique compared to its predecessors, and this could be the way to do so.