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.

Release Date Uncertainties

Although there were expectations for the new-gen remaster to release in Q2 of the fiscal year 2023, the release did not materialize. The timeline was based on Microsoft’s fiscal year, suggesting a release window between October and December of 2022.

Concluding Remarks

It is still unclear what has become of Microsoft’s internal discussions surrounding a new-gen remaster of Red Dead Redemption 2. The project might have been delayed or possibly cancelled. However, given the financial implications and the absence of an updated version of such a successful title, it seems unlikely that the project has been abandoned entirely.

As the gaming community awaits further announcements, the revelation of Microsoft’s internal documents has certainly added to the conversation about the next-gen future of Red Dead Redemption 2. Whether we will see this remaster materialize is still a matter of speculation, but it has undeniably piqued interest and raised multiple questions.

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