Red Dead Redemption 2 could have had a Undead Nightmare DLC

What if Red Dead Redemption 2 had a DLC similar to Undead Nightmare?

Undead Nightmare is regarded as one of the best DLCs ever made, and its absence in Red Dead Redemption 2 is seen as a crime by some – so what would it look like if it were added to Rockstar's Open-world game?

If Red Dead Redemption 2 had a similar DLC to Undead Nightmare, we’d all be playing it right now. That’s not a bold statement, it’s a fact. The DLC for Rockstar’s western game is hailed as one of the best add-ons ever made, and its absence from Red Dead Redemption 2 is a missed opportunity. But what would it look like? And why didn’t we get it?

I first played Undead Nightmare back when Red Dead Redemption 2 was first released – I bought both games at the same time, and I still have vivid memories of mowing down zombies with my steed, then leaping off and firing off headshots with my rifle. It was one of the very few DLCs I thought was worth the extra money, and I’d happily pay again to experience that in the new RDR2 engine. So what’s the hold-up?

Well, it’s complicated. I’d love to say that one simple thing stopped Rockstar from adding Undead Nightmare 2 to Red Dead Redemption 2, but it’s a combination of factors. While most people believe that the impact of GTA Online on Rockstar’s focus on single-player games is a given, there are also rumours that Red Dead Online wasn’t fully developed before its launch.

Put simply, there’s potential for a great Red Dead Online, but it’s not there yet. I’m not the only one who believes this, either – some people within Rockstar itself agree, with one former employee even going as far as to say that the studio is “failing its fans” by neglecting its single-player games to focus on online content.

If Red Dead Redemption 2 had a similar DLC to Undead Nightmare, I’d be writing a similar article about it, so why not just copy and paste? Well, I’m not talking about a zombie DLC per se, but rather, a survival DLC. Undead Nightmare 2 fit perfectly in Red Dead Redemption 2 because the survival mechanics were already implemented, and creating a DLC that’s part Undead Nightmare, part Red Dead Redemption 2 just makes sense.

There are countless other Red Dead Redemption 2 mods and add-ons available, and while they’re mostly made by talented modders, it would still be great to see Rockstar do something similar with its own game. The studio has a long history of releasing great single-player games, with the likes of Midnight Club, Bully, and Max Payne 3 fondly remembered – why not invest in new and bold ideas?

There are rumours of a remake or remaster of Red Dead Redemption, and if that’s true, I hope Undead Nightmare will be included, but until then, you can play the DLC on emulators like Xenia Canary if you really want to. I’d recommend it, actually, because the humour and nostalgia are just as good as I remember.