Red Dead Redemption 2 - Trailer Breakdown

[BinnZ]

I will, when it is being released for the PC that is...

I don't want to own a PS4 for the sole effort of being able to play one game. With a controller even. However, if it pops up for PC, I will go for it all. R* has never let me down in a game. They have created the top 5 in my list of favourite games.
RDR2 looks like an environment I could literally stay in for months. 

[LowPolyOWG]

Hopefully, they don't mind SP mods. OpenIV have been in touch with Rockstar/Take Two and both parties agreed to mods, as long they don't interfere with the online experience and mod creators don't use original Rockstar assets in their mods.

[BinnZ]

That sounds promising! The R* gamers always have been modders for a huge part. Apart from the cheaters you also have many people who just like to fool around with the possibilities in single player. So yeah, very nice

[PZ]

Maybe you'll get that PS one of these days when you get old, BinnZ. I like mine for the exclusives, the Uncharted series comes to mind, which alone makes it worth it for me. The other reason I like it is that I have now placed the console in my living room where I play on the big TV, which is much easier on the old eyes 

[LowPolyOWG]

Take Two's Strauss Zelnick and co had a recent earnings call. They discussed Fortnite and whether Battle Royale was an importnat thing to ctach up with. The answer wasn't a straight "no", but they said they want to do their own thing, rather than chasing trends. RDR1 was a risk, but it made them money, so pump out a sequel.

And regarding PC, Strauss claimed it was much more important to them now, than it was 10 years ago. Must be related to the digitalization made possible by the internet and Steam/Uplay/Origin. They put their products on whatever platform that will be profitable for them and based on that call, RDR2 might receive a next-gen console version in 2020, if T2/R* wants to.

The entire call itself

Another thing, it appears R* are using a console first dev strategy, then switch attention to PC. Ubisoft/EA/Activision's strategy for PC development is parallell development from the ground up, so their games can hit the platforms at the same time. R*/Take Two is probably just using the GTA V cross-gen/platform release strategy. Release on this platform first, then do the other platform. And be quiet about the other platform, so we keep the consumer waiting.

Spoiler

Mike Hickey

Hey guys, thanks for taking my question, congrats on another strong quarter. Curious still I guess a bit far away here, but there has been some speculation that may have a new console from play station in 2020 obviously that's now something that you can talk to, but think anyway but I am just curious sort of your perspective on what it means to sort to have still sort of a consoles cycle type opportunity or challenge.

And also wondering how you release GTA 5 at the end of the prior cycle and were obviously very strategic and optimistic to release the current Gen shortly thereafter. So, how you think about that sort of strategic opportunity potentially comings into maybe a new play station box in 2020? Thanks guys.

Strauss Zelnick

Well thanks, Mike. Always nice to hear from you. As you'd imagine, I think you know this already we don't -- we wouldn't have any ability to comment on another company's plans. You'll ask them about that. I think we've navigated transitions and consoles and console releases and other platform releases pretty well around here since we showed up roughly 11 years ago. We're actually really proud of that, because historically as you know during a transition period, the challenges can be very significant if you bet wrong in terms of what you're up to whether that's supporting something new or supporting something old.

But again what's driven that is less corporate cleverness and much more that our labels create the highest quality of properties that defy normal behavior in console transition period. So the last transition period for example was a lot noise in the marketplace about how challenging it was for catalog products. And this is going back sometime, but you've been in the industry a long side. So you'll remember this as I do. And we weren't challenged in the least we did exceedingly well why because I believe quality of our catalog was so high and is so high. And that's why for example our catalog sells more per skew than I think any other company in the business.

So I think because we have a limited number the highest quality releases, because our titles tend to do well as catalog titles transition period creates somewhat less risk for us. We're not dealing with massive tonnage of skews that we have to make decisions about. And because our titles are typically very, very high quality they can continue to perform as new platforms are released.

So obviously Grand Theft Auto 5 was developed for the last generation and yet it remains the standard there for this generation, which is extraordinary. And something that we are grateful to Rockstar for and incredibly proud of. So in the event that there are new platforms we will make decisions about what to support based on our view of potential success.

I would observe that the PC platform has become a very, very important part of what we do driven by digital distribution. And that was not the case for so called console titles 10 years ago. And it is the case now. Does that mean that the business is flattening out and everything become open and we don't care what brand is on the box not the least, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of more generations. However, it does get us closer to a point where we truly can be platform agnostic as an industry. And I would say we are not there yet, but that day will come.

[LowPolyOWG]

Gameplay video

[Dweller_Benthos]

What? No miniguns and jets? Pass.

No, but really, if there's a first person mode, I'd be into it.

[LowPolyOWG]

We can just mod the game on PC Historically, cranking lever operated gatling guns existed. They were only used in mounted positions.

No words on PC yet, but given their way of working, it's console first, then give the PC version the attention it deserves

[BinnZ]

Looks great and diverse! I'd really like to try that on PC 🙂

[PZ]

Looking great 

[LowPolyOWG]

Yes it does. Especially on the PS4 Pro

[PZ]

I'm looking forward to playing this game - can't wait. 

[LowPolyOWG]

R* have released several character teasers from the Van der Linde gang on Instagram this week. They got posted on their RDR2 promotional web site too.

Van der Linde gang bios

[LowPolyOWG]

From R* Facebook:

"Today we're excited to announce Red Dead Online, a new online connected experience set against the backdrop of Red Dead Redemption 2's enormous open world.
Red Dead Online is an evolution of the classic multiplayer experience in the original Red Dead Redemption, blending narrative with competitive and cooperative gameplay in fun new ways. Using the gameplay of the upcoming Red Dead Redemption 2 as a foundation, Red Dead Online will be ready to be explored alone or with friends, and will also feature constant updates and adjustments to grow and evolve this experience for all players.
Red Dead Online is planned for launch in November 2018, initially as a public beta, with more news to come soon. As with most online experiences of this size and scale, there will inevitably be some turbulence at launch. We look forward to working with our amazing and dedicated community to share ideas, help us fix teething problems and w0#k with us to develop Red Dead Online into something really fun and innovative.
Access to Red Dead Online is free to anyone with a copy of Red Dead Redemption 2 on either PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.
Red Dead Redemption 2 will be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 26, 2018."

So, they are actually going to have multiple test phases for this one

[Art Blade]

a perfect breeding ground for future hackers and modders. Well, you might get lucky because it's on console rather than on PC. Which perhaps explains why it's not on PC: they don't know how to stop hackers and modders on PC.