A few lucky gaming franchises have managed to gather loyal fans who desperately await the next release, as is the case with both Red Dead Redemption and Fallout. Following Red Dead Redemption 2, gamers are ready to have another cowboy adventure, but the wait for the next game may be an exceptionally long one, in part because of Rockstar's focus on GTA 6. Fallout 5 finds itself in the same boat, as Bethesda must focus on Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 first.
The long wait for AAA games has become a norm in the gaming industry, though that hasn't turned gamers into a patient bunch. Fallout 5 is in a somewhat better position than Red Dead Redemption 2, as it has at least been confirmed by its studio. The Red Dead franchise hangs in the air, and Rockstar has shown itself to not fear abandoning franchises in favor of more financially lucrative endeavors.
The Long Wait For Red Dead Redemption 3
Once upon a time, gamers could rely on Rockstar Games to consistently churn out games. There was only a year between Grand Theft Auto 3 and Vice City, and gamers only had to wait two more years for San Andreas to come out. Things have changed drastically, and while development time for AAA games has extended for most studios, Rockstar has managed to take things to ridiculous levels. Following the release of GTA 5 in 2013, gamers had to wait until Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018 before they received a new title from the developer. The next game players are waiting for is Grand Theft Auto 6, and it does not seem like it is going to be a short wait.
According to industry analysts, GTA 6 should hit shelves in 2024 or 2025. As industry insider Jason Schreier revealed in his Bloomberg report, the studio has been working on the game since 2014, which would make the game's development cycle a decade long if it launches when expected. Schreier's report claims that although developers have had to scale things back to one city, the game's scope is still massive, and it will feature a more politically correct tone to reflect the studio's changed internal culture. The long wait for GTA 6 could mean that something special is in store for players. However, it also suggests players may have to wait even longer for the next Rockstar game.
Gamers who prefer the Red Dead franchise instead of GTA probably shouldn't hold their breath for Red Dead Redemption 3 anytime soon. Though Rockstar is a large company, it's probably all hands on deck for its prized flagship IP, at least until launch, as was the case with GTA 5. According to Schreier's report, there are plans to support the game with updates that add new missions and locations post-launch, and that will require plenty of the company's attention. All this adds up to the chance of RDR3 coming anytime soon being extremely slim. Rockstar only released one new game during the eighth gaming generation, and it would take a reversal of its current development trends for it to release RDR 3 and GTA 6 in the same generation.
Bethesda and Fallout 5
Todd Howard has a habit of announcing Bethesda's games unreasonably early. Because of this, he has already confirmed that Fallout 5 is on the way, and he places it after the release of The Elder Scrolls 6. A look at Bethesda's release calendar reveals that this could mean that gamers will be waiting for quite a while. The next game on Bethesda's release schedule is Starfield. Excitement is high for this title, as it will be the studio's first new IP in over two decades. It has been brewing in some form in the studio for over a decade, though development never began until the release of Fallout 4 in 2015. Gamers got their first teaser in 2018, and while the game has faced a few delays, it is now slated for a 2022 release.
Following Starfield, gamers can expect The Elder Scrolls 6. After the astronomic success of Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls 6 is a title that is highly anticipated. According to Howard, the game is still in pre-production, which means that gamers shouldn't expect it anytime soon. This places Fallout 5's release many, many years into the future, possibly in the next gaming generation. This is an exceptionally long wait for gamers, and it will be an even longer wait for Fallout fans, as the gap between Fallout 5 and its successor will likely be longer than a decade.
The Waiting Continues
Much to the annoyance of gamers, the wait for AAA games is longer than ever. This can be attributed to various reasons. As the graphical power of consoles and PCs has improved, gamers expect more from their games. Creating near photorealistic assets takes time, and this takes up a significant portion of the development cycle. Fallout 5 and Red Dead Redemption 3 face additional hurdles as they will both probably be open-world games, where the environments that need to be designed are magnitudes larger than other gaming genres. Increased attention to detail will also extend the development cycle. Although the wait is long, it is sometimes worth it when you get a title like RDR 2.
Although Fallout 5 and RDR 3 are still many years away, this does not mean that the gaming industry is dry. Right now, gamers are enjoying a steady release of quality games, including God of War Ragnarok, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and Need for Speed Unbound. Next year also looks jam-packed, with titles like Starfield, Forspoken, and Hogwarts Legacy scheduled. Fortunately, gamers won't have to wait much longer for these titles, something that cannot be said for Fallout 5 and Red Dead Redemption 3.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.