From outlaw gangs to shootouts, Red Dead Redemption 2 isn’t entirely historically accurate- explore the myths versus history it portrays.
Ever since its release in 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 has captivated millions with its stunning open world, engaging storyline, and lifelike portrayal of the American frontier. It’s the kind of game that comes out only once or twice in a decade. Released by Rockstar Games, RDR 2 offers players a chance to live out their cowboy and outlaw fantasies, from cattle herding to thrilling shootouts. The game is known for its outstanding graphics, level of immersion and its attention to detail which is still unmatched in 2025, making it a favorite among gamers and a critical success. However, as much as the game strives for realism, it still takes some creative liberties when it comes to depicting the Old West. In this article, we’ll break down five things that Red Dead Redemption 2 gets wrong about the Wild West.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Wild West’s Gun Culture
One of the most iconic aspects of the Red Dead 2 game is the portrayal of gunslingers and gunfights. In the game, our characters often walk around with their weapons drawn, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. While gunfights were indeed part of life in the Old West, they were not as common as the game suggests. In reality, many towns had strict laws regulating firearm use, especially within town limits. People were required to check their guns at the sheriff’s office or store them away when entering a saloon or public area. This was quite the contrast to what we see in Red Dead Redemption 2 , where it’s hard to imagine a showdown without the dramatic click of a revolver.
2. Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Real Cowboy Life
When it comes to the life of a cowboy, RDR 2 often romanticizes the rugged cowboy existence. In the game, cowboys are frequently shown clean, well-groomed, and ready for action. However, in reality, cowboys spent long hours on cattle drives with limited access to water and no place for proper grooming. Personal hygiene was often neglected, and most cowboys had long beards or stubble, as shaving was an impractical luxury on the trail. But occassionally, Red Dead II might show characters with a well-trimmed beard or a clean shaven appearance, but it’s clear that in the real Old West, looking presentable wasn’t always a priority- survival was. In fact, the harsh conditions of the Old West meant that people looked at practicality rather than appearance. Cowboys, like majority of the folk, focused more on staying alive than on maintaining any semblance of cleanliness.
3. The Diverse Cowboys of Red Dead Redemption 2 vs. History
Another point where Red Dead II diverges from reality is in its depiction of cowboys as predominantly white. Historically, however, cowboys were much more diverse. Up to a quarter of cowboys were black, many of whom were former slaves who took the job due to limited options after the Civil War. Additionally, cowboys of Mexican and South American descent played a key role in cattle ranching, especially in regions like Texas and New Mexico. While RDR 2 does feature some diversity among its cast, it still follows the traditional Western trope of largely white cowboys. Thus, the diverse and complicated nature of cowboy culture in the Old West is not entirely accurate.
4. Red Dead 2 and the Myth of the Wild West Shootout
The Wild West is often associated with high-stakes shootouts and violent confrontations, largely thanks to Hollywood films. The Red Dead 2 game follows this tradition. It show us intense gunfights between lawmen and outlaws. However, in reality, these shootouts were relatively rare. Most of the Old West was far less violent than films and games would have us believe. While some areas like Tombstone or Dodge City had their fair share of conflict, many towns were peaceful, with low crime rates. The true violence of the Old West came not from gunfights, but from systemic issues like land disputes, Native American displacement, and law enforcement struggles.
Read more about violence in the American west here.
5. The Sniper Rifle in RDR 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 arms players with the Carcano Rifle, a sniper rifle that makes us feel like an Old West marksman. The issue? The exact model depicted wasn’t invented until 1938—almost forty years after the game’s setting. While scoped rifles did exist in 1899, they were bulky, rare, and far from the precision tools RDR 2 hands you. It’s one of the clearest examples of Rockstar bending history for the sake of gameplay.
Read more about gun inacurracies in Red Dead II here.
To Sum It Up
This article takes a lighthearted, humorous look at some of RDR 2’s historical blunders and exaggerations.
The goal isn’t to nitpick things in Red Dead II, but to have fun contrasting Rockstar’s Wild West with the real frontier.
Because at the end of the day, Red Dead Redemption 2 still stands tall as one of the greatest games ever made.
