Red Dead Redemption’s Current-Gen Upgrade is Confusing Fans

by

Players of Red Dead Redemption have found that the free upgrade to the Xbox Series X/S isn’t available for all older versions of the game. For 15 years, the original game was only playable on Xbox 360 for Microsoft users. Now that a more updated version is available, it turns out not everyone will automatically get the upgrade as initially hoped.

Rockstar revealed in November 2025 that their new game will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and the Switch 2. This announcement came about a year after the launch of Red Dead Redemption on Steam, which attracted over 8,000 players simultaneously. While the Steam version was popular, it also faced criticism, as many players felt the $50 price tag was too high for a game that was over ten years old. Now, the updated Xbox version seems to be facing the same pricing concerns.

Red Dead Redemption’s Free Series X/S Upgrade Does Not Apply to All Existing Copies

Soon after the updated version of Red Dead Redemption was released on December 2nd, players on Reddit noticed a problem: those who owned the original Xbox 360 version might have to pay to upgrade. Rockstar had announced that owners of the Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch versions would receive a free upgrade. However, many Reddit users trying to upgrade to the Series X found they were being asked to pay. One player contacted support and was directly told that the upgrade wasn’t free for Xbox 360 owners. This caused confusion, as there was never a version of the game specifically released for Xbox One. While some believe this is due to errors from an automated support system, it’s still unclear what Rockstar meant when they referenced the “Xbox One” version.

Rockstar Games

The Xbox version of Red Dead Redemption isn’t the native Xbox One or Series X/S game; it’s actually the older Xbox 360 version running through an emulator. This has upset many Xbox players because the promised free upgrade doesn’t apply to the 360 version. A newer version of the game, a bundle including both Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2, was released on Xbox alongside the PlayStation 4 in 2023. This is likely the version Rockstar meant when offering the free upgrade, but it’s understandable why fans are confused about which version qualifies.

Rockstar Games

To make things even more confusing, some users on Reddit reported they could download the free upgrade through the Xbox mobile app, rather than directly on their console. However, even after downloading, they still had to pay to actually play the game, suggesting the download might have been caused by a glitch.

While upgrading might seem expensive, players with GTA+ already have access to Red Dead Redemption, making the situation particularly frustrating for Xbox fans. Players on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch don’t face this issue, as the game is already available natively on those consoles or through PlayStation Plus. Some believe the upgrade cost might be a mistake and could be fixed with a future update from Rockstar, but the company hasn’t confirmed anything.

Read More

2025-12-02 21:10