Any scrap of information regardingGrand Theft Auto 6is welcome news, but a recent update regarding Rockstar Games hasmade me certain that another major Rockstar IP is currently in the works. The CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, recently mentioned that the game studio isn’t solely focused onGTA 6, and while he didn’t mention any specifics, there is one obvious game that could be in development.
It’s been almost seven full years sinceRed Dead Redemption 2released, which makes it more than likely that Rockstar Games is working on a sequel in some capacity. The success ofRDR2and the importance of that series to the Rockstar Games brand name makea convincing argument forRed Dead Redemption 3being in development, especially with how long game development cycles take for AAA games.
Rockstar Is Working On Other Games Besides GTA 6
The Studio Hasn’t Forgotten Their Other Projects
Rockstar Studios has confirmed thatthe iconic game studio is working on more than justGrand Theft Auto 6in the lead up to that game’s release date in early 2026.
GTA 6, easily the most anticipated game of the decade, has a lot of expectations riding on it after so many years of development. This pressure could’ve easily meant that getting the game out the door was an all-hands-on-deck situation at Rockstar, especially since the game studio will want to avoid disappointing fans with further delays.
However, Take-Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick,recently stated that Rockstar Games“does have a lot of other things going on” while speaking aboutGrand Theft Auto 6with CNBC.
Most recent official information from Rockstar and its parent company has focused on the release date ofGTA 6,primarily as assurances that the game won’t be delayed any further. This passing commentdidn’t give a lot of information on what exactly Rockstar Games might have in the works.
While this interview, like past information, seemed entirely focused onGTA 6’s release date and the expectations riding on such a massive AAA title, one sentence fromZelnick does hint towards other, unannounced, projects. There’s one specific title that would make sense given the massive success of the most recent entry and its importance to Rockstar Games as a brand.
The Series Is A Rockstar Staple
Red Dead Redemption 3would make the most sense for Rockstar Games to be currently working on.RDR2, first released in 2018, was extremely well-received by fans and critics alike –including in our very own review. It swept multiple categories at the Game Awards despite ultimately losing Game of the Year toGod of War.
Continuing the series with another sequel is a no-brainerafter a success like that, especially since the opportunities for more stories are endless. Another reasonRed Dead Redemption 3is likely in some stage of development at Rockstar is simplyhow long development cycles are in the modern era of gaming.
The time betweenGTA 5andGTA 6will be well over a decade whenGTA 6drops next spring (unless the game is even further delayed). Since most games go unannounced for the majority of their development cycle, which is the right move to avoidElder Scrolls 6situations, it’s possible thatRDR3has been in development in the years sinceRDR2came out in 2018.
When Could We Finally See RDR3?
Another Sequel Is Likely Years Off
With the long gap betweenRed Dead Redemption(2010) andRed Dead Redemption 2(2018), and the amount of time it took for Rockstar Games to getGrand Theft Auto 6announced after it was clearGTA 5was long outdated,RDR3is still likely years away from being released.
Even if Rockstar Games had begun development of the next game immediately afterRDR2came out, that would mean there are still years of development to go before it’s in a state to be announced, and even longer before a realistic release date. Since Rockstar is still supportingRed Dead Online,in the same wayGTA Onlinekept going for years, it’s likely thatthe studio will continue to focus on that online service for a while yet.
The online versions ofRDRandGTAhave historicallybrought in a huge profit for Rockstar. WhileRDR3may be in the beginning cycles of concept development, it wouldn’t make sense for the studio to cut off a cash cow in the height of its profitability.
As horrifying as it is to think about it,Red Dead Redemption 3could be asfar off as the end of the decade or into the 2030s, if Rockstar follows the development timeline forGTA.In the meantime, players still have to wait a little while longer forGrand Theft Auto 6, which will hopefully sate their Rockstar appetite for many years to come.
