Can You Upgrade RDR2 from PS4 to PS5? No – But Here‘s the Latest

As of January 2023, there is no way to upgrade Red Dead Redemption 2 from PS4 to PS5. The game does not have an official enhanced next-gen version or even an upgrade path for current owners. RDR2 can only be played via backward compatibility on PS5, lacking any special enhancements.

I‘ve been following this saga closely as a fan who would love to see Arthur Morgan ride again with 4K visuals and buttery smooth 60 FPS. In this post, let‘s break down the full situation – from credible rumors of a canceled PS5 upgrade to an analysis of why Rockstar hasn‘t released one yet.

The Rumor Mill of a Canceled RDR2 PS5 Upgrade

In early 2021, a report from Video Games Chronicle energized fans by claiming Rockstar Games had been working on a PS5 and Xbox Series X upgrade for RDR2, but later shelved it for undisclosed reasons.

"Rockstar had started work on PS5 and Xbox Series X ports of RDR2 in late 2019, the sources claim, but the work was stopped early last year."

This seemed entirely plausible at the time. We already witnessed Grand Theft Auto V span three console generations with re-releases and upgrades. Surely one of the greatest games of the PS4/Xbox One era would make the leap as well?

Alas, as 2023 gets underway – crickets from Rockstar.

But could an upgrade still happen one day? Let‘s analyze why it would make sense and what factors might be preventing its release.

Visual Comparison: PS4 RDR2 vs Potential PS5 Version

First, let‘s dream about what a fully enhanced RDR2 remake could look like on PS5 hardware:

Having doubled the framerate alone would revolutionize the gameplay fluidity. Faster loading via the PS5‘s SSD would help with those pesky respawns too. Ray traced lighting could accentuate an already gorgeous landscape. And of course, up to 8K output for those shiny new TVs!

But the current PS4 backward compatible version offers none of these next-gen advantages. Let‘s analyze Rockstar‘s business incentives around releasing a PS5 upgrade.

Financial Analysis: Missed Revenue Opportunities Without Upgrade

Take Two Interactive has enjoyed immense success from Red Dead Redemption 2, shipping over 44 million copies as of May 2022. However, the title is now over 4 years old and sales velocity has slowed.

Here is Take Two‘s net revenue for the past 3 fiscal years:

Releasing RDR2 on PS5 could have given Take Two a nice revenue bump in 2022 while enthusiasm for next-gen consoles was sky-high. Even a modest upgrade at $10 for existing PS4 owners could have generated tens of millions for minimal development cost.

By waiting, they may have missed the window to hit critical mass and left easy money on the table from loyal Outlaws!

Gamers Are Still Eager for a PS5 Upgrade

In a recent poll on popular Red Dead community r/RedDeadRedemption, over 75% of respondents said they would happily purchase a new-gen version for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S:

https://i.imgur.com/wRzWvJX.png

Image credit: u/JUPACALYPSE-NOW on Reddit

This demonstrates clear demand still exists among fans who have been waiting years to return to America‘s dying frontier in its full next-gen glory.

Let‘s run some napkin math on a potential customer and revenue model for RDR2 on PS5:

• 30% upgrade rate from 40M copies sold = 12M copies
• $20 upgrade price (higher than GTA V‘s $10 due to next-gen expectations)
• Total Potential Revenue = 12M * $20 = $240M

For a presumed development budget around $10M to remaster assets, optimize visuals, etc – that represents substantial potential profit still on the table!

Of course, we armchair analysts lack crucial data on production costs, resource allocation, opportunity costs etc to recommend definitively whether Rockstar should greenlight PS5 development.

But from a pure customer value perspective – an upgraded RDR2 aligns strongly with fan desires even in 2024 according to polling and conversations across gaming communities.

So why might Rockstar be stalling or hesitating? Let‘s explore some strategic considerations.

The Strategy Behind Rockstar‘s PS5 Reluctance

While demand exists and RDR2 PS5 upgrades may generate tens or hundreds of millions in incremental profit – there are a few reasons why Rockstar seems slow or reluctant to pull the trigger:

1. Diversion of resources from GTA VI development

Rockstar‘s next flagship title is undoubtedly Grand Theft Auto VI which already suffered a noteworthy leak scandal that set things back. As an exponentially more lucrative series, GTA is likely the top priority to allocate artists, programmers and QA bandwidth toward.

Porting RDR2 may simply take too much attention from GTA VI which promises to be the biggest entertainment launch in history.

2. Avoid franchise fatigue

Re-releasing RDR2 also risks oversaturating fans who just enjoyed a 100+ hour epic platinum journey on PS4 and Xbox One. Even the most dedicated cowboys and cowgirls may want a palate cleanser before diving back into the Wild West.

3. Prioritizing new red dead online content

While the single player story mode is acclaimed, Red Dead Online brings in recurring revenue through microtransactions and battle passes. Rockstar may have data showing that new cosmetic items, missions and bounties better drives player engagement and monetization than rehashing Arthur‘s story again so soon.

4. Holding it for future console generation

This strategy worked wonders with GTA V – spanning 3 generations and counting! Rockstar may be essentially saving RDR2 in their back pocket as an instant mega-seller if/when PS6 rolls around in 5+ years time which dwarfs the potential returns today.

Ultimately we outsiders can only speculate on Rockstar and Take Two‘s internal strategy around if/when to prioritize a PS5/Series X upgrade for RDR2. The potential clearly exists but execution depends on alignment with their broader portfolio.

GTA V‘s Multi-Gen Model Doesn‘t Guarantee RDR2 Repeat

Naturally with Grand Theft Auto V still printing money after re-releasing on PS5/Series X, fans wonder if Red Dead Redemption 2 might follow suit and enjoy an equally impressive lifespan across console generations.

However, the circumstances don‘t entirely match up:

• GTA has greater mainstream popularity than Red Dead‘s more niche Western appeal
• GTA Online has become a platform with continuous updates to drive engagement
• As mentioned above, Rockstar may prefer resting RDR for a future generation relaunch

RDR2 capping out as a "one-and-done" single generation game remains possible if Rockstar feels the opportunity costs outweigh production. But never say never!

I‘ll conclude on an optimistic note – if PS4 diehards like myself keep clamoring for Arthur Morgan on PS5, Rockstar may eventually hear our cries and deputize a technical team for upgrading…when the timing aligns with their strategic roadmap.

Cowfolk can dream, as long as we avoid the faith of our dear boah Arthur! 🤠

Let me know your thoughts on the elusive RDR2 upgrade situation down below! Should Rockstar release a new version or let a Western classic ride off into the sunset after solid PS4 run?