Leaked court documents involving Microsoft have disclosed discussions on the possibility of a next-gen remaster of Red Dead Redemption 2 for PS5 and Xbox Series X. The information provides valuable insights into Microsoft's expectations for the Game Pass service and potential development projects that could be added to fill in the schedule. This detailed examination will cover Microsoft's internal plans, the financial aspects of bringing Red Dead Redemption 2 to Game Pass, and the implications of a delayed or cancelled next-gen remaster.
The Gap in Xbox Game Pass Schedule
The leak, stemming from Xbox FTC documents, shows that Phil Spencer, Microsoft's Executive President of Gaming, discussed the vacuum in the Xbox Game Pass schedule due to the delay of Starfield from 2022 to 2023. This led Microsoft's team to explore alternative game titles that could fill this void, one of which was 'RDR2' from Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of Red Dead Redemption 2.
The List of Alternative Games
Apart from Red Dead Redemption 2, the list also included potential titles like Dying Light 2, Cities Skylines 2, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The specific mention of 'RDR2' clearly indicates that Red Dead Redemption 2 was under strong consideration to be added to the Game Pass roster. Furthermore, the document also mentions Microsoft's hopes for a "D&D for gen9," meaning a day-and-date Game Pass release for new-gen versions of Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Financial Aspects and Gameplay Hours
The leak reveals that Rockstar was likely to request more than $5 million a month for bringing the game to Game Pass. Microsoft projected, however, that the title would result in 10 million gameplay hours per month for Game Pass users. These financial deliberations display the weight of the game’s potential inclusion in the service.
Uncertainty on PC Version
The internal documents also include a note saying an updated release of Red Dead Redemption 2 was "doubtful on PC." It remains unclear if this means Microsoft doubted an upgraded version would come to PC or if it was questioning a specific Xbox Game Pass release for PC users.