There’s a lot of contention at the moment regarding the re-release of Red Dead Redemption. Some fans are not pleased about Rockstar charging $50 for a PS4 port of a 13-year-old game, but Take-Two’s CEO doesn’t appear to agree with them.
Speaking to IGN, Strauss Zelnick has justified the need to charge almost full price for RDR1 on the previous-gen system. In a statement, he said it’s “what we believe is the commercially accurate price for it.”
On August 17, the beloved Western experience Red Dead Redemption and its horror companion Undead Nightmare arrive together for the first time on the Nintendo Switch and modern PlayStation systems.
Add Red Dead Redemption to your wish list now: https://t.co/kB4TjexkKn pic.twitter.com/lc46gZqqwA
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) August 7, 2023
He was asked whether the inclusion of the Undead Nightmare DLC was the reason for the $50 price tag. Zelnick responded by saying it was a “great standalone game in its own right when it was originally released, so we feel like it’s a great bundle for the first time, and certainly a great value for consumers.” This may or may not answer IGN’s question.
WWJMD (What would John Marston do)?
Rockstar announced the re-release of Red Dead Redemption on August 7. The game is scheduled to come out on PlayStation 4 and the Switch. For Nintendo users, this means they may finally play one of the most celebrated open-world titles of the last generation.
However, many fans feel that $50 is too high, especially as this isn’t a remaster. Even more may still feel a bit disappointed that this wasn’t the remaster/remake that had been rumored.
On top of that, PC gamers have once again been left behind, as Rockstar/Take-Two don’t appear to have any plans to release RDR1 on the platform. There will undoubtedly be reasons for this. However, when Zenick was asked about a PC port, he didn’t give a straight answer.
It depends on the vision that the creative teams have for a title, and in the absence of having a powerful vision, for something that we would do with a title, we might bring it in its original form, we’ve done that, and in certain instances we might remaster or remake, so it really depends on the title and how the label feels about it, the platform, and what we think the opportunity is for consumers.
Make of that what you will. Red Dead Redemption will launch on PS4 and Nintendo Switch on August 17.
