Red Dead Redemption 2is officially coming to PC via the Rockstar Games Launcher, Epic Games Store, and Steam. It seems like rumors have swirled about Rockstar Games' latest major release being ported to PC since, well, since beforeRed Dead Redemption 2launched on consoles. It has always seemed like an inevitability, other than the fact that the originalRed Dead Redemptionwas never officially brought to PC. Unfortunately, with confirmation comes an all-new controversy.
WhileRed Dead Redemption 2’s PC version will be coming to Steam, it won’t be coming to Steam first. WhenRed Dead Redemption 2launches on PC on November 5, it will first launch on the Rockstar Games Launcher and the Epic Games Store. Rockstar fans who prefer to buy on Steam won’t have to wait too long, luckily.Red Dead Redemption 2will launch on Steam starting in December. A firm Steamrelease date forRed Dead Redemption 2was not provided and no Steam profile has been created yet.
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Rockstar Games' decision is certain to frustrate some likely buyers ofRed Dead Redemption 2. Steam remains the largest storefront on PC, after all. But Rockstar’s decision is still understandable. On the Rockstar Games Launcher, all revenue goes through Rockstar. On the Epic Games Store, 88% of revenue goes to Rockstar. On Steam, the revenue share is significantly smaller, comparatively.Steam’s revenue share is typically 70%, but for high-selling games it climbs as high as 80%.
This stuttered release plan to capitalize on higher revenue shares is all the more apparent looking at whenRed Dead Redemption 2can be pre-orderedon each storefront. Buyers can preorderRed Dead Redemption 2on the Rockstar Games Launcher starting October 3. Pre-orders on the Epic Games Store will open October 23. Plans for Steam are understandably unannounced. Rockstar is going out of its way to make sure it makes as much as possible on each purchase.
The one positive to take away from the situation for dedicated Steam supporters is that Rockstar hasn’t sold its exclusivity entirely.Red Dead Redemption 2will be coming to Steam, and it will come to Steam relatively quickly after launching on the other storefronts. It’s always frustrating to miss out on a launch event, to miss out on the hype, if you’re waiting for a game to launch on a different platform. But it’s probably safe to sayRed Dead Redemption 2’s launchon Steam may be bigger than its launch on other platforms.
Red Dead Redemption 2is an especially great example of why many game players will wait for a Steam release. Rockstar’s games traditionally have major mod support, a feature the Epic Games Store doesn’t have implemented into its storefront. For anyGrand Theft Auto 5roleplayersor graphics modders, the delayed Steam launch is the only launch.
Red Dead Redemption 2is available now on PS4 and Xbox One, with a PC launch slated for November 5.
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