Is Red Dead Redemption 2 a Prequel or Sequel to Red Dead Redemption?

Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) is unambiguously a direct prequel to the original Red Dead Redemption (RDR1). RDR2 is set in 1899 during the final era of the American frontier, while RDR1 takes place beginning in 1911 after the decline of the Wild West.

So in terms of timeline, RDR2 happens over 10 years before the events of RDR1 with an overlapping epilogue section. RDR2 shows us the backgrounds of beloved characters like John Marston, Abigail and Dutch before they appeared in RDR1.

The Red Dead Series Has Moved Backwards in Time

When the iconic Western franchise first launched in 2010 with Red Dead Redemption starring John Marston, fans like myself couldn‘t get enough. The open-world action and story left gamers begging for more adventures in the American frontier.

Rockstar Games delivered that in 2018 by going back a decade earlier into John Marston‘s past with the Van der Linde gang. They took the unique approach of creating a prequel centered around fan-favorite characters to expand the Red Dead universe.

Based on rumors and speculation among reputable industry insiders, it‘s unlikely that Rockstar will move the series forward in time beyond RDR1. A Red Dead Redemption 3 would most likely serve as yet another prequel.

By releasing the games out of chronological order, it keeps fans on their toes about the backstories of their favorite gunslingers!

RDR2 Shows Backstories of Marston, Abigail and Other Characters

One of the most exciting aspects of RDR2 as a prequel is getting to see where some of the most beloved personalities from Red Dead Redemption came from over 10 years prior.

Playing as Arthur Morgan, you get an inside look at John Marston as a young outlaw before he ultimately leaves the gang. You experience firsthand how John received the scars across his face that become an iconic part of his look in RDR1.

In the epilogue, you actually get to play as John Marston himself as he tries to build a new life with Abigail and young Jack. This directly leads into the events and location of RDR1.

Some other prominent examples include:

• Young gunslinger Abigail Roberts who eventually becomes Abigail Marston
• Little Jack Marston as a toddler before becoming a gangly teenager
• The outlaw wisdom and worldview that John Marston directly inherits from Dutch van der Linde

Here is a side-by-side comparison:

It’s incredible as a player to get the in-game backstory for these personalities that I already loved from RDR1. The character growth across the arc of both games is extremely impressive.

Deep Ties Between Arthur Morgan and John Marston

Playing as Arthur Morgan, you develop a special mentor-like bond with John Marston that enriches the experience of RDR1 in retrospect. Despite their clashing personalities, Arthur sees himself as responsible for John‘s wellbeing within the gang.

In many ways, Arthur helped shape John into the gunslinger and reformed outlaw he becomes by 1911. He teaches John important skills in combat and survival, while also exposing the corruption behind Dutch‘s philosophies that John later eschews.

Over the course of the story, you go on meaningful missions with John that shed light on events referenced vaguely in RDR1. As a player, I gained a deeper appreciation for the father-son dynamic between Arthur and John.

In the final chapters when Arthur is dying of Tuberculosis, the player is forced to grapple with the bittersweet irony that Arthur is working extremely hard to save the very man destined to outlive and succeed him as the franchise protagonist across games.

This CONNECTION ACROSS titles from prequel into sequel is incredibly powerful for devoted fans. It required weaving an intricate narrative across two games spanning over a decade in universe and 8 years real-world between releases.

Rockstar executed on their vision masterfully, which is why RDR2 received such claim as a prequel that stood tall alongside its sequel predecessor.

Epilogue Allows You to Play as John Marston Shortly Before RDR1

For those who aren‘t aware, the main story of RDR2 has an epilogue section that takes place after Chapter 6.

Potential Spoilers Ahead

In this lengthy 6-hour epilogue, you take control of John Marston himself as he tries to build an honest living with Abigail and young Jack. This section takes place in 1907, approximately 4 years before the events of RDR1.

You get to experience John‘s personal struggles and aspirations during this lost period of his life in the transition out of the old gunslinger ways. It‘s an incredible bridge between the two eras and protagonists that ties everything together.

From scenery to events, the epilogue directly feeds into the 1911 setting and Beecher’s Hope location that RDR1 memorably opens upon.

For fans of John Marston and the full arc of redemption across both games, this was an incredible bit of fan service that cemented RDR2 as a prequel. We got closure on Dutch’s gang while also seeing firsthand how John got to where he is at the start of the original adventure.

Overlapping Geography Connects the Two Eras

Another signature of RDR2 as an authentic prequel is just how accurately it portrays topography, manmade structures, and geographical changes between the eras. These are incredibly realistic considering an 12-year gap in universe.

Having played through RDR1 multiple times, I was frequently struck by déjà vu when traversing certain towns like Blackwater and Armadillo in their earlier frontier state.

You can see railroads, bridges, settlements, and infrastructure in their developing stages before becoming the landmarks John Marston encounters in 1911.

There are callbacks like Nate Johns being mentioned as the future town priest for Armadillo that feel gratifying. They ground RDR2 as a history you’re exploring before it became the well-worn landscape of RDR1.

Speculating on Red Dead Redemption 3

Based on quotes from Rockstar leadership and reports by trusted gaming journalists, the team behind Red Dead currently has no plans to develop a Redemption 3 anytime soon, at least not one centered on characters post-RDR1 timeline.

The rumor is that once Grand Theft Auto 6 releases, which is confirmed to be in active development, Rockstar will shift their focus back towards conceptualizing another potential Red Dead chapter.

If a RDR3 does happen, the speculation is it would once again be a prequel due to the ending of RDR1 feeling fairly conclusive for John Marston and Jack. A RDR3 prequel could show:

• The origin story of key characters like Dutch, Hosea and Arthur founding the gang

• Expanding on characters like Sadie Adler and Charles Smith in their earlier outlaw days

• The rise of organizations like The Pinkertons and Texas Rangers who fought back against Old West gangs

It makes more sense from a story perspective to keep providing interesting backstory to fan-favorite characters versus trying to create a compelling narrative post-RDR1 with unknown new characters.

As an avid fan, I would happily embrace a third prequel title to complete the trilogy about the golden age of the Wild West!

Gameplay Length and Completion Comparison

To provide concrete context around the actual gameplay length, main story completion of RDR2 clocks in around 50 hours for most gamers. And true 100% completion clocks between 150-200 hours with all extras included.

In comparison, RDR1 was smaller in scope at release with around 15-20 hours required for main story completion. And a thorough 100% playthrough could be completed in 40-60 hours.

So RDR2 is a massive, sprawling journey on par with the largest open worlds. You could spend months slowly exploring its nooks and crannies without growing tired or bored.

RDR1 feels tighter and more streamlined at times in retrospect. But that means newcomers won’t feel as daunted tackling it first. And it allows the improved game systems of RDR2 truly feel like next-gen evolutions.

Satisfying References and Easter Eggs

Since RDR2 serves as an origin story to beloved events and characters, Rockstar did an amazing job infusing references to the future 1911 events of Redemption 1.

These satisfying Easter eggs reward eagle-eyed fans of the franchise. I wanted to share two of my personal favorites:

• In Chapter 2 while drunk in camp, Arthur can directly mention he foresees dying from TB and never making it to “New York or Tahiti” which slyly foreshadows Dutch’s famous RDR1 dream destinations

• If you encounter a minor stranger side mission character named Jon, Arthur might remark about never meeting another Jon before. This cheekily references knowing only one Jon…Jon Marston!

These intelligent moments organically bridge RDR2 as a prequel with RDR1 in subtle but impactful ways. They reinforce so clearly that Rockstar envisioned this as one unified story the entire time.

Play RDR1 First for Newcomers

Even though RDR2 is a chronological prequel in the series timeline, I would actually recommend new players check out Red Dead Redemption 1 first before jumping into RDR2 for maximum emotional impact.

The original RDR1 will provide necessary backstory on key characters like John Marston, Abigail and even Dutch that grounds the introduction. It also sets up core motivations around redemption, loyalty and the death throes of the Wild West. All of these thematic elements pay off better if you understand the “end state” first in 1911.

Jumping straight into 1899 without proper context means you lose appreciation for moments like seeing young Jack Marston, playing as John post-gang, hunting down former comrades, etc. Their significance stems from reminiscing about later events.

And from a pure gameplay quality perspective, I feel RDR1 has aged better with its streamlined mission structure and less tedious resource management. Better to play a classic RS title first before experiencing the huge ambitious leap forward of RDR2’s intricacies.

Either way you decide to play, diving into the rich lore across both titles in the Red Dead franchise will provide any gamer with one of the finest narrative experiences across this entire generation!

Let me know your thoughts or feelings on whether RDR2 serves as the ultimate prequel to a masterpiece original like RDR1!