Remember when we found out Lance from N'sync had trained to become a cosmonaut? And that Kanye West still earns money on the side by working at the checkout in a Sainsbury's Local in Milton Keynes?
Okay, I've possibly made that last one up. The point is, the big stars always have another string to their bow. For Grand Theft Auto giant Rockstar, that extra string is Red Dead Redemption. If you thought GTA was the only game that brought home the bacon for our friends in Dundee, then you're wrong. 2010s Red Dead was about as critically acclaimed as they get, with a whopping average score of 95/100 on Metacritic.
Little wonder, then, that after a slow and tortuous six years, fans are frothing at the mouth for the big reveal of Red Dead Redemption 2. A cryptic image featuring little more than the logo published by Rockstar earlier this week has been followed up by a fully fleshed out trailer, giving us all just a glimpse at what we can expect from the third instalment in the Red Dead series.
Credit: Rockstar
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The trailer gives us a few clues on top of a some other guesses as to just what will be in Red Dead Redemption 2, backed up by some authority. Guesses like...
1. The map is going to be massive
Even before Red Dead Redemption 2 had officially been unveiled, those trusty folk over at TechRadar had managed to get their hands on a map showing the play area for the game - and it reveals a few tidy bits of info.
Firstly, the map looks huge. Seriously, it's a sizable upgrade on the playground Rockstar handed over to us six years ago, and that can only be a good thing. It's also suggested play has shifted east a touch from the first game's setting, opening up more of Rockstar's world in the Wild West in the process. More is better, right? You betcha.
Image Credit: Rockstar
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2. It's going to link up with Mafia 3
Now, this is interesting. Also included on the leaked map image is a reference to New Bordeaux. If you're wondering where you've heard that before, it's the fictional city created for recent release Mafia 3 - a city designed to mimic real-life New Orleans.
So what's it doing on the map of Red Dead Redemption 2? Well, sharp shooters out there will no doubt be aware that the publisher behind Mafia 3 - 2K Games - is owned by the publisher behind Grand Theft Auto, Take Two. As such, there would definitely be an advantage in cross promoting the two games.
All in all, it means it's looking like Mafia 3's mammoth metropolis is going to make an appearance in some shape or form in the new Red Dead. What makes this really interesting is that Mafia 3 is set in 1968 whereas Red Dead Redemption 2 - if it follows the precedent set by its predecessor - will take place in the early 20th century. Will we get a sneak peek at an especially early days of New Bordeaux? It's looking likely.
3. It's set before the original Red Dead Redemption
Speaking of when it's set, eagle-eyed viewers of the leaked map have noticed there's no railroad in the Great Plains part of the map, which featured in the original Red Dead Redemption. The suggestion is that play is set before the last game.
When exactly? We can't rightly say (*said in a western accent), although speaking slightly facetiously, given Christopher Columbus discovered America at the end of the 15th century and the last game was set at the start of the 20th century, it'll be somewhere between those two dates.
Indeed, if we use New Bordeaux as a bearing, given real-life New Orleans was officially founded in 1718, according to a handy Wikipedia search, the early 18th century or a bit later is looking like a safe bet.
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Words by Keith Andrew
Featured Image Credit: Rockstar
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