Massive Red Dead Redemption 3 Map Includes Amazing GTA Reference

Published Jul 29, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot. Grand Theft Auto 6 is obviously Rockstar’s hottest ticket item for the foreseeable future, especially when an online component eventually rolls around, but Red Dead Redemption 3 is no less exciting to look forward to, even if it could potentially be another decade or longer before it sees the light of day. Of course, with no Red Dead Redemption 3 officially announced, we know virtually nothing about what it could entail. Still, some things seem like a no-brainer, such as Red Dead Redemption 3 being a prequel. More than a century separates them, yet fans are interested in the idea of Red Dead Redemption 3 finally establishing that the Red Dead and Grand Theft Auto franchises are in fact intertwined after all. RDR3 Could Be A Prequel In More Ways Than One On Reddit, user DanyMok22 has shared a concept map they created that attempts to predict what the map will look like in Red Dead Redemption 3, including which regions of the US players might be able to go to, based on speculation about the threequel and its place in the franchise’s timeline Most intriguingly, this user has included Grand Theft Auto’s Los Santos (Los Angeles) on the map, positing that it would be neat for players to experience Los Santos as it was more than 130 years ago: “It would be a small dusty town at the beginning of the game, but railroads and industry would cause it to boom by 1890, so it could grow rapidly over the course of the game.” Users Unlucky_Exercise_702 and Accurate-File1600 love the idea of being able to go to Los Santos, with the Red Dead Redemption series then technically establishing itself as a prequel to the Grand Theft Auto series. Fans seem to be open to this connection, too, with user TopBee83 writing: “Rockstar can very easily retcon that and say ‘eh they’re connected now,’” in order to make them part of the same universe. Move Over GTA 6, We Want Red Dead Redemption 3 Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead franchises do not canonically share a universe/continuity, and so the chances of Red Dead Redemption 3 (or Grand Theft Auto 6, for that matter) making such a concrete connection are low. Plus, in order for this user’s concept map to be considered potentially accurate at all, it’s conceived based on the assumption that Red Dead Redemption 3 will leap back further and be a prequel to Red Dead Redemption 2, like RDR2 was a prequel to Red Dead Redemption. User Asbew laments, “This wouldn’t even come out in my grandkids’ lifetimes.” It’s a sad thought, but it probably will be an excruciatingly long wait for Red Dead Redemption 3, if it ever does come to pass, and if it doesn’t make a concrete, explicit universe connection with the Grand Theft Auto franchise, we may never get one. Systems Released October 26, 2018 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol Developer(s) Rockstar Games Publisher(s) Rockstar Games Engine RAGE Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Cross-Platform Play N/A Cross Save N/A Franchise Red Dead Redemption Did you love the original Red Dead Redemption back in 2010? Check out this prequel to the first game, Red Dead Redemption 2. Players explore the complex Western world as Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang. Get ready to find an adventure in the western frontier in the 1800s, fighting against government figures and famous rivals. While some controls are difficult to manage at first, after some practice mounting and dismounting your horse, you should be ready to meet more characters. The stunning graphics are to be expected with Rockstar Games, as they created other popular open world games such as Grand Theft Auto. Steam Deck Compatibility yes Platform(s) PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia Genre(s) Action, Adventure How Long To Beat 50 Hours X|S Optimized yes Metascore 97 PS Plus Availability Extra & Premium OpenCritic Rating Mighty