Red Dead Redemption 3 Perfect Lead Character Leaves Gamers Hopeful

1 hour ago 7

Published May 4, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

James is a gaming writer from London who has spent thousands of hours exploring titles from every genre. Though he has a particular affinity for multiplayer titles like World of Warcraft, Destiny 2 and League of Legends, he has also put thousands of hours into single-player experiences, from deep RPGs to epic PC strategies. When he's not playing or writing, he can usually be found supporting his beloved Brentford FC.

The two Red Dead Redemption games we have enjoyed so far have been defined by their protagonists, with John Marston and Arthur Morgan going down in history as two of the most iconic characters ever. The fact that their stories intermingle in the second game only furthers that, adding depth to both and creating a whole and compelling narrative.

That complete story is the reason that Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser believes there shouldn't be another Red Dead Redemption game ever. Despite that belief, there will almost inevitably be another one (given how successful they are), which leaves the question of who should lead it as a fascinating one for fans to ponder.

Charles Smith with a mask and bow in Red Dead Redemption 2

Over on Reddit, one player shared their belief that Charles would serve as the perfect protagonist for Red Dead Redemption 3, given the reputation he forms for himself in the second game. There's no doubt he's one of the coolest characters in the gang overall, and seeing him have his own spotlight would be genuinely quite compelling.

The comments all had their own opinions, with many agreeing that the original poster was onto something, "I've been saying this since I played RDR2, it would make the most sense as a prequel game and would be so cool to play as him, he is a total badass," one said.

"Nah, for God's sake leave the Van der Linde gang in the past already. Go back to the real wild west, they can pull on Otis Miller and Landon Rickkets' redemption and how he ended up in Mexico. Bring the real wild west with top gunslingers like prime Black Belle and others." another added.

"I’d love to have a prequel where Dutch is the playable character, or we can switch between Dutch, Arthur, Hosea and John a la GTA 5. It'd be cool to see the founding of the Van der Linde gang. But if we were going sequel, I think following Sadie into South America would be the better choice if Rockstar were to go with a protagonist we already know," a third said.

John Marston holds two pistols and fires one of them at night in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Though it is interesting to think about what approach Rockstar might take to the next Red Dead Redemption game, the unfortunate fact remains that we are years away from the next game in the series. Their focus will remain on GTA VI (and the subsequent online release) for a long time to come yet, so let's hope that's everything we want it to be at the very least.