GTA 5 Left Rockstar 'Slightly Nervous' About Red Dead Redemption 2's Single Protagonist

Rockstar once experienced some apprehension regarding how fans would react to Red Dead Redemption 2 after the massive success of GTA 5. While previous titles largely featured a singular protagonist, GTA 5 broke tradition by introducing a trio of playable characters that players could swap between as their intertwined narratives progressed. According to Rockstar North co-lead Rob Nelson, the studio's massive success with this multi-protagonist structure left the team feeling slightly nervous about scaling back to a single cowboy, Arthur Morgan, for their next major release.

Speaking in an interview with TroisCouleurs while discussing GTA 6, Nelson reflected on the transition from GTA 5 to Red Dead Redemption 2. He noted that the team always looks back at previous games to figure out how to evolve and move forward. When shifting from three connected protagonists back to Arthur's singular story, developers wondered if fans might find it boring to play as only one character. Nelson recalled that people even asked whether players would be able to switch between various members of the gang during the game.

Looking back, Nelson noted that those early concerns feel amusing now because Arthur ultimately worked brilliantly as a character, largely because Rockstar gave themselves the space to deeply explore his personal journey. The profound emotional connection players formed with Arthur, combined with the significant world interaction depth found in Red Dead Redemption 2, directly influenced the development of GTA 6. Wanting to carry that emotional depth and interaction forward, the team decided to return to the idea of multiple protagonists, ultimately settling on a duo inspired by Bonnie and Clyde.