Rockstar: Red Dead Redemption on PC isn't happening, not 'viable'

by Griffin McElroy on Oct 6th 2011 1:30PM

We've got bad news for you and your custom-built, Western-themed PC gaming rig (complete with tumbleweed HDD and whiskey-distilling cooling fan). Rockstar has confirmed that Red Dead Redemption is not coming to the PC. In a Q&A on the company's blog, Rockstar explains, "All we can say is that whenever it is viable (technically, developmentally and business-wise) for us to release a game for PC (or any other particular platform) – we will and we usually do; unfortunately, that is just not the case 100% of the time for all platforms."

The post adds, "To PC gamers, we hope that between the Grand Theft Auto titles, and the forthcoming L.A. Noire and Max Payne 3, you'll have plenty of great Rockstar action to enjoy." Just, you know, no cowboy action. Which is like, the best kind of action.

Source: Rockstar

Tags: pc, Red-Dead-Redemption, rockstar, rockstar-games, rockstar-north

Reader Comments (112)

The PC version would probably have way more glitches than the console one anyway.

@Faceless Troll Trolling should either be funny, so extreme it's ridiculous, or rage provoking.

@Dick Socrates

1) Not everything I say is trolling. If you can't tell the difference that would be your problem.

2) You can't tell me this isn't a glitch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI9ZgzxIfOM

@Faceless Troll that's a pretty good glitch, but, assuming that there will somehow be more bugs in the PC over the 360 version, well, that's just plain wrong. Seeing as the IDE for GfW & 360 are the same, it's patently false to assume that there will be more bugs.

If anything there will be less bugs as the game would have to be beta tested on current code, not original code.

@Faceless Troll A bad port is better than no port at all. At least the PC modding community could fix the bugs. Even though GTA4 wasn't the best port on PC, its way better than the console versions with a good enough rig, especially with mods, trainer utilities, etc.

@sortius You have more hardware variations to account for with the PC, you can't possibly account for everything. On top of that, Rockstar games tend to have awful performance when they're ported from consoles. I can practically bank on the port having more glitches.

@nerdydesi1 If you have to rely on the "modding community" to fix the bugs, it's a bad port. End of story.

@Faceless Troll

Bad optimization doesn't mean more glitches.

@Faceless Troll I will take a bad port rather than not getting a chance to play the game at all. I'm glad I had the chance to play GTA4 on the PC (did play it on PS3 and 360 first).

@Faceless Troll

That's not a glitch, it's a feature!
Who doesn't want to ride a donkey lady???

@Faceless Troll

Somebody send the numbers of steam games and the witcher 2 to rockstar just to see if it´s viable or not......

@Faceless Troll RDR was probably the least glitched open world game of this generation. The donkey lady was awesome... and I think the jury is out on whether it was an intended or unintended glitch

i would think that if LA Noire were viable on PC (it's an amazing game i'm sure) from a marketing perspective, then so would red dead, while la noire must be good to have done so well, i fail to imagine that it would sell better than a GTA styled western.

@BrianH Because it has to be all three "...technically, developmentally and business-wise.." Its probably not worth the development time to make a PC port. The cost to adjust the game to run on PC is probably too high. It's not just about changing a few controls and , its about supporting an almost infinite number of hardware configurations, (rather than 2 consoles). By specifically developing for consoles their development time was probably greatly reduced due to never having to test different hardware configurations, and to go back would be practically like starting all over again, which is not viable technically, developmentally or business wise.

@(Unverified)

Please stop this. This is not remotely accurate. Developers do not have to take into account "thousands" of different configurations. Think about it! Why do most indie devs say it's easiest to develop on PC? These issues are all solved via abstraction layers, namely the DirctX or Open GL API's.

@(Unverified)

The problem most certainly has to be the multiplayer. Not developing it, but running it. There's no guarantee a re-release over a year after it came out on consoles would garner enough attention to run and maintain servers for online play.

@Kinthalis

They still have to get it optimised for a variety of hardware configurations.

"no cowboy action. Which is like, the best kind of action."

Amen to that.

How are those games viable, but not RDR? This makes even less sense than just being completely silent about it. There's some other reason. Every topic about LA Noire on PC is filled with comments about wanting RDR. RDR would sell far better on PC than LA Noire, especially after the glow of LA Noire went away and everyone now wonders why they ever liked it, and RDR's rep just gets better and better.

MAKES NO SENSE.

@Dick Socrates It's called piracy.

@Mortegro And how does piracy explain LA Noire coming to PC?

@Mortegro I know plenty of people of pirated this game on the 360. Before the street date.

@nerdydesi1 Don't mind Mortegro. He's just an idiot without a village.

@nerdydesi1

Cowboys are not equipped to deal with pirates. Zombies, yes. Ninjas, maybe. Pirates. no deal. They have boats and Cowboys can't swim.

@MayorMikeHaggar I must admit, your explanation is the most likely I've read yet.

R* games control and perform terrible on PC (consoles too but that's another matter.

It would have been nice to see for those who can get used to it though. I have it on the PS3 and it's a good concept. Too bad I can't customize the controls and the default control scheme is just too frustrating for me to enjoy the game.

ST

Man, every time I see a screen shot like that I'm reminded how friggin' gorgeous this game is! Definitely gonna have to saddle up for a cool hour or so tonight. Thank Joystiq! (and sorry PC gamers! You're totally missing out.)

@whylekat Nope not missin out just cause someone is a pc gamer doesn't mean they don't own current gen consoles

Stupid, because the rage engine has already been ported to pc for gtaiv, and la noire doesnt use rage. You'd think having a head start on the port and plenty of outspoken fans hoping to throw money at it would make it "viable" enough for them.

"viable" re we made enough money just selling it on consoles.

@bigE

Correction:

We are STILL making money on consoles.

Out of all the games mentioned (except max payne 3, cause it aint out on any platform) RDR is the best title. So thats kind of funny to me.

Yes. John Marston won me over. Hes an awesome character.

I guess I'm not viable to buy their game then

Well, damn.

I was gonna mod the game so I could see animals riding horses.

@Perfidious Sinn
So much for my Quick Draw McGraw/El Kabong and Baba Looey mods. :(

Look at all the PC gamers. In denial. Can't accept that not enough people buy games on the PC to make it profitable.

@Harry Seaward

Witcher 2 calls your comment bullshit

@Harry Seaward Hey look, your undeniable proof that console gamers can be jerks too.

@Harry Seaward

Most PC gamers have all the consoles sitting in their entertainment system too (mostly just gathering dust but if a dev pulls something this epically stupid we just buy it on the console).

Don't cry because we had an extra K or 2 to blow on a PC and you didn't.

ST

@Harry Seaward

....which is why WoW makes more money than God, The Old Republic shattered presales records, etc etc.

@Faenix Is that why they're making a 360 version? Hmmm...

im a pc gamer.. but was smart enough to buy all the console platforms as well so i dont miss out on any exclusive titles!!!

@wookiehole

*rich enough

I'm glad I have a viable console.

Lame.

*Hangs up 10-gallon hat*

I'm gonna go cry in the barn now.

@CaptainProtonX

Don't get any tears in your beer, dude.

I don't understand why developers ignore the PC market. Damn near everyone has a computer. I am a PC gamer because I can seamlessly move from working on a lab report to terrorizing the neighborhoods of Stillwater in Saints Row 2. You don't get that kind of experience on any of the consoles.

@freelancer91 I agree. Unfortunately, many PCs are not "gaming" capable. Also, many gamers prefer to play in front of a couch rather than on a desk. We need more powerful integrated graphics in laptops and desktops since those are what most people have.

My friend has a laptop with crappy Intel graphics. He'd love to be a PC gamer and ditch his 360 except for that one fact his laptop can't play any games. : (

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Red Dead Redemption

Rockstar: Red Dead Redemption on PC isn't happening, not 'viable'

Reader Comments (112)

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:32PM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:39PM Dick Socrates said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:47PM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:24PM sortius said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:25PM nerdydesi1 said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:29PM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:29PM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:31PM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:36PM nerdydesi1 said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 3:28PM Scuba Steve said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 5:05PM Hunter141072 said

Posted: Oct 7th 2011 2:18PM The Albatross said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:33PM BrianH said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:56PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 4:36PM Kinthalis said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 4:52PM Coco Bananas said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 7:21PM Esposch said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:34PM SgtDookie said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:38PM Dick Socrates said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:46PM Mortegro said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:25PM nerdydesi1 said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:27PM txphisher said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:29PM Tinkus said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 3:32PM MayorMikeHaggar said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 5:00PM urgan said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:38PM Steel Toad said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:39PM whylekat said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 9:10PM INFIDEL said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:45PM dorkus1218 said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:46PM bigE said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:13PM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:47PM Faenix said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:48PM Timjoy said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:50PM ErikR said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:57PM Perfidious Sinn said

Posted: Oct 13th 2011 9:44AM foxhound said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 1:57PM Harry Seaward said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:16PM Faenix said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:26PM nerdydesi1 said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:37PM Steel Toad said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 4:03PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 5:06PM Enigma7ic said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:02PM wookiehole said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 3:37PM fco said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:06PM MEGATOOL said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:11PM alucard3000 said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:12PM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 7:41PM Nook said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:13PM freelancer91 said

Posted: Oct 6th 2011 2:27PM nerdydesi1 said

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