Red Dead Redemption gets native release on PS5 and Switch 2, and a mobile port for Netflix subscribers
Interestingly, this isn’t even Rockstar’s first game to get a release on iOS and Android.
While Red Dead Redemption has been playable on ninth-gen consoles via backwards compatibility for some time now, Rockstar’s iconic open-world western has never seen a proper release on those systems. However, this changes with Rockstar’s announcement that the game will be coming natively to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2.
In addition, a mobile port has also been announced exclusively for Netflix subscribers.
Touching on the improved console editions first, although backwards compatibility has allowed RDR to run pretty well on current-gen consoles, the downside has been graphical inconsistency across platforms. For instance, the PS4 edition of RDR can run at 4K at 60fps on the PS5, thanks to a patch Rockstar put out on October 2023.
The same can’t be said for RDR on Xbox Series X|S, which is still running the backwards compatible Xbox 360 version. As a result, RDR is stuck at 30fps on the Series X|S.
With this announcement, the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will be able to run the game at 4K at 60fps, in addition to HDR support and “enhanced image quality” compared to their last-gen counterparts. For the Switch 2 version, Rockstar stated that DLSS has allowed the game to run at 60 frames, though the studio never specified whether it could output to 4K. It does, however, support Joy-Con 2 mouse control.
Additionally, PS5 and Switch 2 users are able to pick up from previous save data on their last-gen consoles. And as for the mobile ports, it’s pretty self-explanatory: It’s the whole game on iOS and Android. It remains to be seen how much graphical fidelity will be retained, though, and controls for console games haven’t always translated well to touchscreens. Still, Rockstar touts “mobile-friendly control options” for the mobile ports.
Pricing and Availability
Though Rockstar hasn’t stated how much the standalone releases for ninth-gen consoles will be, those who already have a backwards compatible version of RDR will receive the upgrade for free. It will also be available on GTA+ Games Library and PlayStation Plus Game Catalog.
For the mobile ports, again, the game is exclusive to Netflix subscribers, and those eager to get them at launch can pre-register on the App Store and Google Play Store. Both the ninth-gen console editions and mobile ports will release on 2 December.