Red Dead Redemption 2’s companion app (for Android and iPhone) could be hinting at the game someday coming to VR.
Rockstar Games fan website ‘Rockstar Intel’ first reported that inside the files for the app are multiple parameters that indicate game could be coming to PC, including:
CommandIsPcVersion(void) 000000000166A12C
PARAM_companionAutoConnectIpPC 0000000002F985B8
SIGNIN_PC_APP_URL 0000000002A51F58
However, what is even more interesting is the following parameter:
PARAM_Oculus 0000000002F7FC10
This is the first direct evidence of VR work related to Red Dead Redemption 2. I looked inside the files for the Android app myself and independently verified the Oculus mention. While it’s far from proof or confirmation, it does indicate that Rockstar Games could be at least considering some form of RDR2 for VR. Of course, we can’t rule out the possibility this is just sample or template code that somehow got included by mistake, but we certainly hope it is evidence of proper VR support for the game’s eventual PC version.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of Rockstar’s only games to have full first person support – the game can be played from start to finish in this view, and we noted that it looks incredible in PlayStation VR’s cinematic mode, where you can play the game on a huge virtual cinema screen. Rockstar including first-person support could make a port to VR easier than with a strictly 3rd person game.
This parameter specifically refers to Oculus, not VR, but HTC’s Head of Vive Studios Joel Breton recently told us that Rockstar Games was “not done” with VR, which may suggest that if RDR2 does come to VR, HTC Vive users would not be left out. We were very impressed with Rockstar’s first VR game, LA Noire: The VR Case Files (which released on both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive), giving it an 8/10 review.
If Red Dead Redemption does come to VR, it could be just a few of the best missions like with LA Noire: The VR Case Files, but ideally it would be the entire game, like Bethesda did with Skyrim and Fallout 4. It is also important to note that Rockstar Games has not made any official statements on the topic – right now, these companion app files are our only hints.
