A retail promotional stand for Red Dead Redemption 2 further confirms that Rockstar Games' highly anticipated western sequel will release in fall 2017.

While it is common practice for developer Rockstar Games to go dark after initially announcing a title, like it did with Red Dead Redemption 2, that hasn’t stopped the marketing blitz for the game from getting going. Just this week, for example, promo material for Red Dead 2 started going out that, if nothing else, confirms that the game will, in fact, release in 2017.

Unfortunately, there isn’t anything else to be gleaned from the Red Dead Redemption 2 promo stand, as it uses the familiar image of cowboy silhouettes against a setting sun. Fans have already pored over the image to try and gather some details, if any, but as of right now it is all speculation. The only major item of note on the stand is its release date, which reads Autumn 2017 (or fall 2017 for non-UK residents).

What isn’t speculation, though, is the fact that Red Dead Redemption 2 will be releasing this year, assuming it isn’t delayed. Rockstar is a developer known for taking its time with projects, and very rarely does the studio stick to its first release date. For example, Grand Theft Auto 5's original release date was early 2013, but the game was eventually pushed back to the fall of that same year.

The key difference there is that GTA 5 was announced about two years before it actually released, whereas the Red Dead Redemption 2 teaser trailer debuted only a few months ago and will release within a year or so. The long lead times are shrinking for the popular developers it seems, as studios like Bethesda have learned it is better to keep the gap between game announcement and release date as short as possible.

That being said, gamers haven’t seen as much of Red Dead Redemption 2 as they would like. Rockstar is known for playing things close to the vest, but it is operating in uncharted territory as well. It says a lot that a small piece of marketing material would be worthy of attention, but anything that Rockstar Games is willing to give up is better than nothing.

For now, though, the speculation wheel will keep on turning until Rockstar Games offers up its next look at Red Dead Redemption 2. And with less than a year (presumably) until the game releases, fans shouldn’t have to wait too long before they see actual gameplay and meet the new (or old) characters.

Red Dead Redemption 2 will release fall 2017 for PS4 and Xbox One.