Rockstar Games feared Red Dead Redemption 2's single protagonist would bore players

Rob Nelson, co-head of Rockstar North, revealed that Rockstar Games experienced concerns during the development of Red Dead Redemption 2 regarding player engagement. The studio feared that moving from the three interconnected protagonists of Grand Theft Auto V to a single protagonist, Arthur Morgan, might cause players to become bored.

Nelson noted that the studio faced questions from fans about whether the gameplay would allow switching between different gang members. Ultimately, the developers aimed to balance the depth of world interaction found in Red Dead Redemption 2 with the multi-character dynamics seen in previous titles. This evolution is being applied to the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI, which will feature a duo-protagonist system inspired by a Bonnie and Clyde-style partnership.