Though it presents a different atmosphere and tone to Grand Theft Auto and doesn't attract as large an audience, Red Dead Redemption is equally revered by critics and fans alike. It relies heavily on mature storytelling, exceptional character development, and historical accuracy in its settings, which are often a source of wonderment. Be it John Marston grappling with the life he left behind, or the begrudging journey to the light for Arthur Morgan as his relationship with the Van Der Linde Gang begins to crumble, the first two games offer something truly special that will be hard for Red Dead Redemption 3 to replicate as it forges an identity for itself.
One of the most obvious ways for Red Dead Redemption 3 to stand out would be to drastically alter where the game is set, ditching the wild west of America in favor of something entirely different. Guarma was a surprising deviation in the 2018 game's story, and while it was a pleasant trip, it showed the importance of the setting to the series' presentation. Rockstar Games may be tempted to do something crazy with the location and time frame of Red Dead Redemption 3, but the reality is that the franchise is too successful and fans have expectations too high to risk losing momentum by changing what is already great. Leaning on what Red Dead Redemption had relied on since 2010 is the most predictable move, for better or worse.
The American West is Red Dead Redemption's Bread and Butter
Though New Austin has its own feel unique from New Hannover, both Red Dead Redemption titles are set in a fictional recreation of the American south, and it's worked wonders for the franchise. The Ned Kelly-ish content in Red Dead Redemption 2 Online alluded to the possibility of taking the franchise to Australia, which would be an intriguing proposition in theory, but the barren wastelands of the Australian outback surely wouldn't offer any significant gameplay or atmospheric differences given that the setting was far from futuristic at the turn of the 20th century. The American west is what players expect of Red Dead Redemption, and two games have shown that it can provoke fantastic storytelling, meaning there's little need to deviate from what has worked so well, for so long.
North America is vast, expansive, varied, and politically fascinating, and lifting the series and dropping it elsewhere would be a huge risk that Rockstar Games doesn't need to take. Venturing up to the cold plains of Canada would be intriguing and different enough from the first two games, but going to Central America and having the entirety of Red Dead Redemption 3 feel like the Guarma chapter of Red Dead Redemption 2 would get old quickly. Part of the charm of the series is meandering around on horseback, and doing so across the diverse American landscapes is vital to the identity of the IP.
Grand Theft Auto Relies on Familiar Settings
Rockstar Games' philosophy is usually about improving and developing on fundamental open-world norms, forging genre-defining games within the parameters that gamers expect. It's been a while since Grand Theft Auto was an innovator, and when it comes to settings, it's no different. From the sunny skyscrapers in downtown Los Santos to the neon-draped streets of Vice City, Grand Theft Auto has relied on just a few fictional cities, each drawing inspiration from real-world places like Los Angeles and Miami respectively.
Red Dead Redemption has some stark differences from Grand Theft Auto, yet the studio behind both isn't known to reinvent the wheel with each new release. The latter franchise has bounced between a few places, and expecting anything different from Red Dead Redemption would be unwise. It's a series that knows what makes it special and has a clear vision that has worked for a long time. The sparse nature of Red Dead Redemption releases means fans are ready for a wild west adventure when it finally rolls around and abandoning the setting and style that made the first two great would be at best an unnecessary change, and at worst a betrayal of the fundamentals of the franchise.