Red Dead Redemption 2 Mod Brings Back Original Gang Designs

Rockstar’s early concept art for Red Dead Redemption 2 looked noticeably different from what players saw in the final game. Now, thanks to a new mod, you can step back into that original vision. The Concept Gang Overhaul by modder beniguess1899 transforms Dutch van der Linde’s gang to match those early designs, swapping out modernized costumes for the raw, first-draft looks that never made it past the art stage. The result is a complete visual refresh for the Van Der Linde gang, altering 19 members’ appearances and bringing fresh personality to every chapter of the story.

With the Concept Gang Overhaul mod giving PC players a fresh way to see the Van Der Linde gang, there’s now extra buzz about where else Red Dead Redemption 2 might ride next. A new rumor suggests the game could arrive on the Nintendo Switch 2 before the end of 2025, bringing its sprawling Wild West to a whole new audience. If true, it would be the perfect timing for newcomers to experience both Rockstar’s original vision and the modding community’s creative reimaginings.

The changes are immediately visible on Dutch himself. His bold reds and crisp whites have been replaced with darker maroons and weathered grays, echoing a more understated leader. Micah’s overhaul is perhaps the most ironic—gone is his scruffy outlaw style, replaced with sharp grooming and pristine white leathers, the kind usually reserved for the hero archetype he absolutely isn’t. Javier loses his ponytail and much of his decorative flair, pushing him closer to the hardened revolutionary players who meet in the first Red Dead Redemption. Uncle, meanwhile, gains a gold button, bowler hat, and tidy mustache, giving him a more distinguished, almost dandy-like presence.

These redesigns aren’t static either. Some characters visually change as the story progresses, reflecting how time and events reshape the gang. Strauss starts with almost blond hair that slowly fades to gray, while Lenny shaves his facial hair and changes his outfit by Chapter 2 to match the game’s cover art. Arthur’s tweaks are subtle but impactful—his black leather accents are replaced with brown, softening his look without altering his identity. Other gang members, like Tilly, Molly, and Mary Beth, see shifts in their clothing colors, adding new layers of visual storytelling.

The timing of this mod release taps into the broader appeal of revisiting the Van Der Linde gang at their height, before their slow collapse. Red Dead Redemption 2 is set in 1899, years before the events of the first game. By then, the gang was already past its golden age—tired, hunted, and fractured. The opening scenes in the snowy mountains show them in flight, nursing wounds from failed jobs and losses they’ll never recover from. While there are moments of success early on, the writing is on the wall from the first chapter: the gang’s days are numbered.

Micah Bell’s role in their downfall is often overstated, but his impact is undeniable. He’s reckless, violent, and constantly egging Dutch toward bad decisions, from the Strawberry shootout to ill-fated heists. He ultimately betrays the gang as an informant for the Pinkertons, yet the truth is that the cracks were already there. Other forces—railroad magnate Leviticus Cornwall and relentless Pinkerton agent Milton—were pushing the gang into tighter corners. Milton’s pursuit drove them from hideout to hideout, killing key members like Hosea, while Cornwall’s personal vendetta and influence fanned the flames of Dutch’s worst impulses.

But no matter which antagonist you focus on, the heart of the gang’s collapse lies with Dutch himself. In the beginning, he’s a charismatic leader selling a dream of freedom and loyalty, but by the end, he’s a hypocrite who sacrifices his closest allies to save himself. Whether it’s killing Angelo Bronte after promising his release or abandoning Arthur and John in their final moments together, Dutch’s actions speak louder than his rhetoric. The downfall of the Van Der Linde gang isn’t a single betrayal or bad break—it’s the inevitable unravelling of a vision that couldn’t survive against modernization and time.

That’s what makes the Concept Gang Overhaul mod more than just a cosmetic update. It’s a look at an alternate version of these characters before they were finalized, a reminder that the people you meet in the snowbound prologue had other possible faces, styles, and histories. Seeing Dutch in muted tones or Micah dressed like a storybook cowboy adds new angles to familiar personalities, and for players who already know how this tale ends, it’s a fascinating way to replay it.

Read also:10 Best Horses in Red Dead Redemption 2

On PC, mods like this keep Red Dead Redemption 2 alive well beyond its original release. From changing character models to overhauling entire systems like horse mechanics, the modding community continues to expand the game’s possibilities. And for those who can’t resist returning to the fading days of the Wild West, stepping into the boots of a concept-art Arthur Morgan might be the perfect excuse to ride out with the gang one more time.