No, Red Dead Redemption 1 is Not on PS5 in 2024
As a lifetime PlayStation gamer and Red Dead fan, this is a tragic reality I have to accept. Despite backwards compatibility with PS4 games, our beloved PS5 still does not support the original Red Dead Redemption from 2010.
Believe me, I wish things were different! This Western epic completely transformed the gaming landscape and deserves to live on forever. But licensing issues and business priorities have prevented it from being playable on PlayStation.
The Short Version: PlayStation Out of Luck
Here‘s the 30 second recap if you just want the bottom line:
- RDR1 was removed from PlayStation Plus streaming in July 2022
- Currently only playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles
- No announcements of it ever coming to PS5 or PS4
- Disc copies from PS3 era do NOT work on modern PlayStations
Sigh…I‘m still holding out hope for a surprise remaster down the road. But PS5 owners are plain out of luck for enjoying this last-gen masterpiece.
Why Was It Pulled from PlayStation Platforms?
This splendid open-world cowboy adventure originally launched for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles way back in 2010. I still vividly remember watching those first stunning trailers and being floored by the visual fidelity Rockstar achieved.
As the PS3 and Xbox 360 faded into obsolescence, Microsoft made RDR1 playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S through backwards compatibility. This kept it alive for the next generation of gamers.
Sony took a different approach by offering Red Dead Redemption via its PlayStation Plus Premium streaming catalog. So PS4 and PS5 owners could at least stream the classic game online, even if they couldn‘t use old PS3 discs.
But in July 2022, RDR1 suddenly vanished from that streaming service too:
"Red Dead Redemption is no longer streamable on PlayStation, on either new-gen or last-gen consoles, as a result of the changes to the PlayStation Plus Premium subscription service."
Source: Gaming Bible
Why the abrupt removal? Industry experts cite renewal challenges around music rights as a key factor. Unlike Microsoft, Sony‘s licensing arrangement only granted temporary access rather than permanent backwards compatibility.
With Rockstar focused intensely on Grand Theft Auto 6 development, they apparently didn‘t see enough upside to re-up those licenses again solely for PlayStation users. Cold-hearted business calculus!
The Chances of Red Dead Redemption 1 Ever Coming Back
As much as it crushes me to acknowledge, the odds are very slim we‘ll see RDR1 remastered or re-released for PlayStation consoles anytime soon.
Rockstar is all hands on deck for GTA 6, which isn‘t expected until late 2024 at the absolute earliest. And they have shown no hints of dipping back into the Red Dead well recently. Per an insider industry source:
"So, Red Dead isn‘t getting a remaster, Red Dead 2 isn‘t getting upgrades or DLC, and all of this is for a title years away, meaning Red Dead 3 is even further away. At the very least, Red Dead 2 deserves its own PS5 and Xbox Series X upgrades."
Ouch! This quote reinforces that Rockstar isn‘t planning on reviving its old Western franchise right now. As much as it hurts me as a PlayStation owner, it‘s the cold hard truth.
At this point, our only far-fetched hope would be if PlayStation negotiated a new licensing deal themselves to bring RDR1 exclusively onto PS Plus Premium. But there have been 0 rumblings or leaks suggesting that‘s in the works either.
I won‘t hold my breath, and neither should you. We PlayStation Nation citizens simply need to accept that Xbox is the only avenue left for experiencing this past-gen triumph.
How RDR1 Runs on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One
Since Xbox consoles remain the only way to saddle up into Rockstar‘s wild frontier, let‘s talk about how the backwards compatible experience actually holds up there:
- On Xbox One, you are playing the original Xbox 360 version
- The Xbox Series X/S grant you enhanced 4K visuals while maintaining the original 30 fps cap
So it‘s not a true next-gen upgrade to the level of 60+ fps. But Xbox users can enjoy native 4K resolution and the same award-winning game we PlayStation users are jealously missing out on!
Can You Still Buy Physical Copies from the Xbox 360 Era?
As a collector myself, I did some digging on current-gen availability. Here is what I found:
- New physical copies from 2010 no longer in production. Limited used stock pricey due to rarity.
- Cheapest route is re-downloading $9.99 digital Xbox 360 version onto Xbox One/Series to play.
- No discounted pricing for Game Pass or EA Play members.
So ponying up 10 bucks seems the way most Xbox faithful will experience Redemption. Just salt in the wound for this PlayStation die-hard wanting to saddle up with John Marston once more!
Why You Should Still Play Red Dead Redemption in 2024
Even if you need to gasp secure an Xbox to do it, here is why Redemption remains a must-play Western saga years later:
| Iconic storytelling | Morally gray anti-heroes confronting their past never gets old |
| Breathtaking world | The atmosphere and authenticity of turn-of-century American Southwest still captivates |
| It inspired Red Dead Redemption 2! | How can you truly understand fan-favorite gang members like Dutch and John Marston without experiencing their complete arc?? |
Trust me, wander through those southern border towns or gallop across the Great Plains even today. It just hits different!
Sadly my PS brothers in arms cannot join me. But I will continue evangelizing this marvelous and important game regardless. It seems the Wild West shall remain Xbox territory for the indefinite future…
Perhaps we can band together and petition PlayStation to #SaveRedDead1! But odds are stacked against us for now cowpokes. If you share my passion, please ride with me on this lonely campaign!
Yours in desperation,
A heartbroken PlayStation gamer
