During a recent episode of Digital Foundry Direct Weekly, the technical experts at Digital Foundry explored the ongoing rumors surrounding Red Dead Redemption 2 and its potential remastered release for modern platforms. The discussion highlighted not only the possibility of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S upgrades but also the intriguing prospect of a Nintendo Switch 2 version that could approach the visual and performance standards of last-generation enhanced consoles.
Rich Leadbetter opened the conversation by addressing recent reports of Rockstar Games preparing current-generation upgrades for Red Dead Redemption 2. While official confirmation remains elusive, the speculation stems from a reputable insider known as “Nate the Hate,” who has a strong record for accurate leaks. Leadbetter noted that although no release window has been confirmed, there appears to be credibility behind the claims that remastered versions are indeed in development.
John Linneman added that a remaster makes both creative and financial sense for Rockstar, emphasizing that the studio operates independently and tends to follow its own timeline. “They operate on their own timetables. They do stuff whenever they want and it’s fine,” he remarked. Linneman suggested that a Switch 2 version is plausible, especially considering the success of the Red Dead Redemption port on the original Switch, which was developed by Double Eleven. “It all just kind of lines up as like a thing that Rockstar is almost certainly doing,” he said, noting that the same studio might again be involved.
Regarding performance expectations, Linneman explained that while the Switch 2 may not fully match the Xbox One X version’s native 4K visuals, it could feasibly achieve fidelity comparable to the PlayStation 4 Pro. “I think on PS5, Xbox, whatever, you could actually do some nice improvements there,” he stated, adding that a Switch 2 version would likely feature visual parity with last-generation editions, scaled appropriately for the hardware’s capabilities. He further praised Red Dead Redemption 2’s enduring graphical quality, calling it “freaking gorgeous” even by modern standards.
Oliver McKenzie expanded on the technical considerations for a Switch 2 port, pointing out that file size could present a challenge. “This is a big game. It’s about 110 gigabytes on last generation consoles,” he said. With the largest Switch 2 title currently around 70 GB, McKenzie noted that Rockstar may need to employ advanced compression techniques or customized data streaming to make the port feasible. He suggested that, should the port materialize, it would likely stand among the best-looking titles on Nintendo Switch 2.
Beyond the potential Switch port, the conversation turned to possible enhancements for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions. McKenzie speculated that Rockstar could introduce a 60 frames per second mode with higher resolution rendering through temporal upscaling, or even integrate limited ray tracing features similar to those found in Grand Theft Auto V’s enhanced edition. Leadbetter echoed this view, suggesting that global illumination would be the most beneficial ray-tracing effect to include for visual fidelity.
While no official details have been shared by Rockstar Games, Digital Foundry’s discussion lends credibility to the growing anticipation of a remastered Red Dead Redemption 2 that spans multiple hardware generations, including the Nintendo Switch 2. Given the game’s technical sophistication and enduring popularity, a well-optimized version for Nintendo Switch 2 could serve as one of its most ambitious third-party releases to date.
As Leadbetter concluded, “The concept of a 30 fps quality mode, I think, you know, there is potential there. I think it would be pretty cool.” For now, fans can only wait for Rockstar’s confirmation, though the speculation alone has reignited excitement for one of the most acclaimed open-world experiences in gaming history.
