Out of all the console games from last generation PC gamers wanted to see grace their platform, Red Dead Redemption ranked among the very top. Though Rockstar put out a paltry PC port of Grand Theft Auto IV, many were still nonetheless intrigued by what RDR could offer the modding community, and many still cling on to the hope that Rockstar will eventually see the light and bring it to Steam.
However, the game’s Lead Multiplayer Designer Kris Roberts has now gone on record to state that Rockstar never had any intention to bring Red Dead Redemption to PC, whilst also offering a little bit of insight into how Rockstar had previously viewed the PC as a platform.
Roberts made the admission during a stream on Twitch, saying: “I don’t think there was ever an intention to have a PC version of Red Dead Redemption. I was actually really shocked that they did a PC version of Grand Theft Auto V. Obviously in development we were all PC based and had it running for win32 clients for the entire development, but as far as licensing for the console and stuff, it was always going to be an Xbox 360 and PS3 title. To the best of my recollection, we never even seriously talked about optimizing for PC.”
You can listen to Roberts’ comments in the video below (skip to the 26:19 mark):
PC gamers have always had a hit-and-miss relationship with Rockstar, given their prior reluctance to embrace the platform and the frequent delays that the PC versions of their games have suffered. Many were therefore skeptical when the developer announced that they would be bringing GTAV to the PC, and Roberts’ comments certainly highlight how, in the past at least, the PC was not prioritized by them.
However, GTAV arguably received its best version on the PC complete with additional features and enhanced visuals, so it’s clear that Rockstar has finally got their heads around the platform. It’s still very unlikely we’ll see a Red Dead Redemption port make its way to Steam, but at least it looks likely that if a Red Dead Redemption 2 is ever released, PC gamers will get to experience it in the same way that their console-owning peers will.
