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For the main Redemption story, play Red Dead Redemption 2 first, then Red Dead Redemption. RDR2 covers 1899 and reaches a 1907 epilogue; the original Red Dead Redemption follows in 1911 and ends with a 1914 epilogue. Play Undead Nightmare after the normal Red Dead Redemption campaign as an optional, separate zombie-horror scenario. Red Dead Revolver is optional: its approximate 1880s setting is earlier, but it belongs to a separate continuity.
This order gives a first-time player the clearest character and historical progression without requiring an older game first. The dates below refer to the story timeline, not the games’ release dates.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Brand New Factory Sealed | $23.39 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Red Dead Redemption - PlayStation 5 | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The chronological order at a glance
| Order | Game or mode | Story period | Continuity | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optional prelude | Red Dead Revolver | Approximately the 1880s | Separate continuity | Play only if you want the earliest western setting or the complete release catalog. |
| 1 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | Main story: 1899; epilogue: 1907 | Canonical Redemption story | Start here and complete the main story and epilogue. |
| 2 | Red Dead Redemption | Main story: 1911; epilogue: 1914 | Canonical Redemption story | Play the standard campaign after finishing RDR2. |
| 3 | Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare | Alternate scenario; no place in the standard chronological arc | Separate zombie-horror experience using the Red Dead Redemption world | Play after the normal RDR campaign, as an optional coda. |
If you only want the connected story that the series is usually called the “Redemption” arc, the answer is simply RDR2 → RDR. Add Undead Nightmare afterward for its alternate scenario. Put Red Dead Revolver before them only as an optional, separate-continuity prelude.
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Red Dead Redemption 2 is a narrative prequel to Red Dead Redemption. Its main story is set in 1899 and follows the Van der Linde gang during the earlier period of the saga. The game then includes an epilogue set in 1907. Completing that epilogue matters for chronological play because it carries the story forward beyond the 1899 campaign and prepares the time period that precedes the original game.
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- Play as Arthur Morgan, lead enforcer in the notorious Van der Linde gang
- Interact with every character in the world with more than just your gun;Engage in conversation with people you meet. Your actions influence Arthur's honour;Horses are a cowboy's best friend, both transport and personal companion;Bond with your horse as you ride together to unlock new abilities
Rockstar’s official description presents Red Dead Redemption as taking place after the events of the 2018 blockbuster Red Dead Redemption 2. That relationship is why release order and story order differ: the second-numbered game was released later but is set earlier.
Where to stop in RDR2
Do not stop at the end of RDR2’s principal 1899 storyline if your goal is a complete chronological run. Continue through the 1907 epilogue before launching the original Red Dead Redemption. The epilogue is part of RDR2’s supplied story chronology, not an unrelated bonus mode.
You can explore optional activities before or after the epilogue according to your own completion goals. Chronological order is determined by the campaign and epilogue dates; side-content completion does not create a different required sequence.
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What this entry establishes
RDR2 is the foundation for the canonical order. It introduces the Van der Linde gang and the era associated with Arthur Morgan, then moves forward to 1907 in its epilogue. Playing it first lets the setting, relationships and historical transition develop in the order intended by the internal timeline.
How to approach the campaign
- Begin with the standard RDR2 story. Treat the main campaign as the 1899 portion of the timeline.
- Complete the epilogue. The epilogue moves the chronology to 1907, so it should be finished before you switch games.
- Save before moving on. A completed-story save makes it easy to return for exploration without accidentally launching the next title before the 1907 material is finished.
- Start RDR only after the 1907 section is complete. This keeps the transition from RDR2’s prequel period to the 1911 setting clear.
Why this order may feel different from release order
RDR2 was released in 2018, long after the original Red Dead Redemption. New players therefore encounter a prequel first. That is not a mistake or a missing game: the numbering reflects release history, while the setting makes RDR2 the chronological opening of the central story.
Step 2: Play Red Dead Redemption (1911, then 1914)
The main 1911 campaign
After RDR2’s 1907 epilogue, move to Red Dead Redemption. Its principal story takes place in 1911 and continues the saga with John Marston. The jump from 1907 to 1911 is the next major dated movement in the canonical timeline.
The 1914 epilogue
Continue through the game’s epilogue, which is set in 1914. As with RDR2, finishing the epilogue gives you the complete dated campaign before you begin any alternate scenario.
What counts as the standard campaign
Use the normal Red Dead Redemption story as the second step. Do not substitute Undead Nightmare for the campaign: Rockstar support treats that mode as a separate selectable gameplay experience, and it is designed as an alternate transformation of the existing world rather than the next event in the standard 1911–1914 storyline.
Step 3: Play Undead Nightmare as an optional alternate coda
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare is best played after you finish the ordinary Red Dead Redemption campaign. It uses the established world but changes the genre and premise into zombie horror. Take-Two’s official announcement described the result this way: “With Undead Nightmare, Red Dead Redemption is completely transformed into an open-world zombie-horror experience.”
Why it comes after RDR
The mode is built around the Red Dead Redemption setting and is treated as a separate gameplay experience. It does not supply an additional dated chapter that must be inserted between RDR2’s 1907 epilogue and RDR’s 1911 campaign. Playing it after the normal RDR story preserves the standard character and historical progression before you move into the alternate premise.
How to think about its continuity
- Standard arc: RDR2’s 1899 story and 1907 epilogue, followed by RDR’s 1911 story and 1914 epilogue.
- Alternate experience: Undead Nightmare, a zombie-horror reinterpretation of the RDR world.
- Practical placement: Finish RDR first, then launch Undead Nightmare when you are ready for a genre change.
Checking whether your edition includes it
Availability depends on the product and platform listing. Before buying or installing, check the current edition description for the exact platform, region and included content. Rockstar’s support information shows Undead Nightmare as an accessible gameplay option, but a listing that includes the base game does not automatically establish that every platform edition contains the alternate experience.
Where Red Dead Revolver fits
Red Dead Revolver has an approximate 1880s setting, which makes it the earliest western period among these games. It is not required to understand the canonical Redemption story, however, because it belongs to a separate continuity.
Play it first if you want the earliest setting
For a setting-first marathon, you can play Red Dead Revolver before RDR2. This gives you the earliest in-universe date before moving to the connected Redemption arc.
Skip it if you only want the Redemption narrative
If your priority is the story that connects RDR2 and RDR, begin with RDR2. Revolver’s earlier date does not make it a necessary prequel, and skipping it does not remove required context from either Redemption game.
Rank #2
- When federal agents threaten his family, former outlaw John Marston is forced to hunt down the gang of criminals he once called friends.
- Experience Marston’s journey across the sprawling expanses of the American West and Mexico as he fights to bury his blood-stained past in the critically acclaimed predecessor to the 2018 blockbuster, Red Dead Redemption 2.
- Also included is Undead Nightmare, the iconic horror story that transforms the world of Red Dead Redemption into an apocalyptic fight for survival against a zombie horde.
Chronological order versus release order
The two orders answer different questions. Chronological order follows the fictional timeline; release order follows when each product first appeared.
| Release sequence | Release year | Relationship to the story order |
|---|---|---|
| Red Dead Revolver | 2004 | Optional, separate continuity despite its earlier fictional setting. |
| Red Dead Redemption | 2010 | Second in the canonical story, even though it was released before RDR2. |
| Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare | 2010 | Alternate scenario best played after the normal RDR campaign. |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 2018 | First in the canonical story because it is the prequel. |
Which order should a first-time player choose?
Choose chronological order: RDR2, including its 1907 epilogue; RDR, including its 1914 epilogue; then Undead Nightmare if wanted. This avoids beginning with an older release whose mechanics and continuity are not necessary to the central story.
When release order makes sense
Release order is useful for returning players who want to experience how the series evolved, or for readers interested in the historical path from the 2004 western to the 2018 prequel. It is not the clearest first playthrough because it reveals the 1911 story before the earlier 1899–1907 events.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Pick an order for your specific goal
| Your goal | Recommended sequence | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Understand the canonical narrative | RDR2 → RDR | Follows the 1899/1907 period into 1911/1914. |
| Experience every dated western setting | Revolver → RDR2 → RDR | Starts with Revolver’s approximate 1880s setting, then follows the connected arc. |
| Play every major campaign or mode | Revolver → RDR2 → RDR → Undead Nightmare | Includes the separate continuity and the alternate zombie-horror experience without interrupting the standard arc. |
| Revisit the series in original product order | Revolver → RDR → Undead Nightmare → RDR2 | Matches the 2004, 2010 and 2018 release sequence. |
| Start with the shortest required path | RDR2 → RDR | Leaves out optional Revolver and Undead Nightmare content. |
Edition and platform checks before you start
The story order does not change by platform, but the content available in a specific product can. Product names, bundles and included modes are changeable facts, so verify the live listing for the platform and region you intend to use.
- Confirm the platform. Make sure the edition is sold for the hardware or service on which you plan to play.
- Read the included-content line. Look specifically for the base Red Dead Redemption campaign and whether Undead Nightmare is included or offered separately.
- Check the region. A package name can be similar across regions while its contents or availability differ.
- Check the current edition description. Do not rely on an old screenshot, an older bundle name or a retailer summary that omits mode details.
- Install the correct mode. If the product presents Undead Nightmare as a separate selectable experience, launch it only after completing the ordinary RDR campaign for chronological play.
These checks are especially important for players buying a bundle rather than an individually named game. The chronology is stable, but the way a platform exposes each campaign can vary.
Managing spoilers while playing chronologically
Starting with RDR2 gives you the fictional timeline in order, but it does not make every reveal spoiler-free. The original game was released first and was written with its own audience expectations. You may still encounter references or structural information that RDR2 later develops.
A low-spoiler plan
- Read only the order and date table before beginning.
- Play RDR2 through its 1907 epilogue without searching for character explanations.
- Move to RDR and complete its 1911 campaign and 1914 epilogue.
- Start Undead Nightmare only after the standard campaign if you want the normal story context first.
Guides, achievement lists and video thumbnails can reveal more than the order itself. If preserving surprises matters, search for the exact mission or technical problem rather than broad plot terms.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Starting with RDR because it was released first
This is valid for a release-history playthrough, but it is not chronological. For the internal timeline, RDR2 is the opening chapter of the connected story.
Stopping RDR2 before the epilogue
The 1907 epilogue is part of the dated progression. Finish it before moving to RDR’s 1911 campaign.
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Putting Undead Nightmare between RDR2 and RDR
That interrupts the standard arc with an alternate zombie-horror scenario. Complete the ordinary RDR campaign first, then use Undead Nightmare as optional post-campaign content.
Assuming Revolver is a required prequel
Its approximate 1880s setting is earlier, but its separate continuity means it is not required context for RDR2 or RDR.
Assuming every bundle includes Undead Nightmare
Edition and platform contents vary. Inspect the current listing and confirm the included mode before purchase or installation.
The complete recommendation
For most players, use this sequence:
- Red Dead Redemption 2: play the 1899 main story and continue through the 1907 epilogue.
- Red Dead Redemption: play the 1911 campaign and finish its 1914 epilogue.
- Undead Nightmare: play afterward as the separate zombie-horror scenario, if your edition and platform include it.
Add Red Dead Revolver before RDR2 only if you want its approximate 1880s setting or a complete tour of the franchise. It is optional and separate from the canonical Redemption continuity.
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