Will We Ever See Red Dead Redemption 3?

With Grand Theft Auto 6 now delayed until 2026, fans are starting to wonder: what does this mean for Red Dead Redemption 3? 🐎📉 While Rockstar Games has a reputation for long development cycles, the gaps between its major releases are only growing — and for many, that’s raising doubts about the future of its wild west saga.

GTA 6 Delay Casts Long Shadow Over RDR 3

Rockstar made waves when it confirmed the GTA 6 launch delay to 2026, more than a decade after development began. While insiders suggest another delay isn't off the table, the real question now is: Where does that leave Red Dead Redemption 3?

Historically, Rockstar began working on Red Dead Redemption 2 immediately after the original released, and it still took eight years to complete. By that math, fans might’ve expected RDR 3 around 2026 — but with GTA 6 landing that same year, Rockstar likely won’t want to cannibalize its own release window with another blockbuster. And so far, there’s been no official confirmation or even a hint that RDR 3 is in development.

📉 RDR 3 Might Be Farther Off Than We Hoped

While Rockstar can work on multiple titles simultaneously, it tends to space out major launches. Just look at the timeline:

• GTA V dropped in 2013
• RDR 2 followed in 2018That’s a 5-year gap, and historically, the studio alternates major franchises every 3.5 years on average.

But now, with RDR 2 already 7 years old and GTA 6 still over a year away, we might not see RDR 3 until 2029 or 2030 — making it potentially the longest wait between Red Dead entries.

⚙️ Could AI Speed Up Development?

There’s a glimmer of hope. A former Rockstar developer recently speculated that AI tools might speed up future game production — potentially cutting costs and development time for GTA 7, and by extension, RDR 3 as well. 🤖

However, the use of AI in game dev is still highly controversial, and Rockstar hasn’t confirmed whether it plans to embrace it — or how extensively it would be used if it does.

🐎 So… Is Red Dead Redemption 3 Still Happening?

At this point, it’s anyone’s guess. There’s no official word on a sequel, and with Rockstar’s full focus seemingly on GTA 6, the future of the Red Dead franchise remains unclear.

But here’s the good news: just because one game is taking forever doesn’t mean the next one will. Rockstar has always played the long game — and if history is any indication, they tend to deliver masterpieces when they finally show up.

For now, fans of the Wild West will have to stay patient, saddle up, and ride out the long wait.