While "Grand Theft Auto 6" remains Rockstar Games' biggest upcoming release, fans are already looking beyond its launch and imagining what the studio could do next. "Red Dead Redemption 3" may still be years away, but speculation surrounding a possible return to the acclaimed Western franchise continues to grow.
Rockstar Games has not officially announced "Red Dead Redemption 3," meaning there are currently no confirmed details about its story, setting, characters, or release date. Still, that has not stopped fans from developing theories about where the series could go next.
One particularly intriguing idea suggests that the third game could travel further back in time than "Red Dead Redemption 2" and potentially create an unexpected connection to the "GTA" series.
Could 'Red Dead Redemption 3' Feature an Early Los Santos?
One fan theory is based on a concept map shared on Reddit by user DanyMok22. The fan-made map imagines several locations that could potentially appear in a future "Red Dead Redemption" game, including an early version of Los Santos.
The concept is interesting because the Los Santos known from "Grand Theft Auto" is heavily inspired by modern-day Los Angeles. Its crowded streets, towering buildings, highways, and sprawling neighborhoods are a far cry from the dusty towns and remote settlements that define the Red Dead Redemption games.
However, a story set more than a century earlier could present a completely different version of the fictional location. Rather than a massive metropolitan city, Los Santos could begin as a small settlement surrounded by undeveloped land.
As the story progresses, railroads, commerce, and industrial expansion could gradually transform the region.
The sample approach would allow players to see the fictional city at a time when it was still taking shape, long before it became the sprawling urban environment featured in "GTA."
Could Rockstar's Games Share a Universe?
According to ScreenRant, the theory has also sparked speculation about whether "Red Dead Redemption" could serve as a distant prequel to the popular "GTA" franchise. If Rockstar were to introduce an early version of Los Santos, it could create an interesting historical link between two of the company's most successful franchises.
However, there is no official confirmation that the two series share the same continuity. Rockstar has included references, jokes, and Easter eggs connecting its games over the years, but these have not established a canonical shared universe between "Red Dead Redemption" and "Grand Theft Auto."
'Red Dead Redemption 3' Could Still Be Years Away
For now, "Red Dead Redemption 3" remains entirely speculative. The theory assumes Rockstar would continue moving backward through the franchise's timeline, much like "Red Dead Redemption 2" did as a prequel to the original game.
If the next installment eventually becomes a reality, fans will likely have plenty of theories about its characters, setting, and historical period.
A journey into an early version of Los Santos would certainly be one of the most ambitious and hilarious possibilities.
