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Chronological order at a glance
The table below separates the main continuity from optional material so you can choose an order without confusing setting dates with story canon.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Brand New Factory Sealed | $23.39 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Red Dead Redemption - PlayStation 5 | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Order | Game or campaign | In-universe period | Continuity and role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optional prelude | Red Dead Revolver | Approximately the 1880s | Separate continuity; not required for the Redemption story |
| 1 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | Main story: 1899; epilogue: 1907 | Canonical narrative prequel and the Van der Linde gang era |
| 2 | Red Dead Redemption | Main story: 1911; epilogue: 1914 | Canonical continuation centered on John Marston |
| 3 | Undead Nightmare | Alternate scenario; no ordinary chronology placement | Separate zombie-horror experience built around Red Dead Redemption |
If you want one uninterrupted story rather than every western game, begin with Red Dead Redemption 2, complete its main campaign and epilogue, continue to Red Dead Redemption, complete that campaign and epilogue, and only then play Undead Nightmare.
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Why Red Dead Redemption 2 comes first
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the narrative prequel to Red Dead Redemption. Its story follows Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang before the events experienced by John Marston in the later game. Playing it first gives the gang’s relationships, conflicts and decline their intended chronological context instead of presenting them as backstory revealed after the fact.
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- From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption
- The deepest and most complex world Rockstar Games has ever created
- Covers a huge range of 19th century American landscapes
- Play as Arthur Morgan, lead enforcer in the notorious Van der Linde gang
- Interact with every character in the world with more than just your gun;Engage in conversation with people you meet. Your actions influence Arthur's honour;Horses are a cowboy's best friend, both transport and personal companion;Bond with your horse as you ride together to unlock new abilities
The game has two distinct parts that should both be completed before moving on. The main campaign covers the gang’s earlier period, while the epilogue jumps forward and acts as the bridge toward the world of the first Red Dead Redemption. Treating the epilogue as optional can leave the transition between the two games feeling abrupt, even though the main narrative is technically finished.
This is chronological order, not necessarily the order in which long-time players first experienced the series. Red Dead Redemption 2 was released years after its predecessor, so its opening assumes you may already know the older game’s tone and broad historical direction. A first-time player can still start with it; just expect some scenes and character relationships to carry extra meaning for people familiar with the earlier release.
Step 1: Play Red Dead Redemption 2 from the opening through its epilogue
What this entry establishes
Red Dead Redemption 2 introduces the Van der Linde gang era and places Arthur Morgan at the center of the story. It provides the foundation for understanding how the series’ world changes from a roaming outlaw society into a more modern and closely controlled frontier. The game is therefore more than an earlier adventure: it supplies the historical and personal context that the next title assumes.
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Do not switch to Red Dead Redemption as soon as the main campaign’s credits appear. Continue through the epilogue as well. The forward jump is a deliberate part of the game’s structure and brings the narrative closer to the circumstances of the 1911 story. Once the epilogue is complete, you have covered the entire chronological portion of this entry.
Why new players may prefer this starting point
- You meet the central group before its later history is explained.
- The series’ changing frontier is shown in the order it occurs rather than through retrospective flashbacks.
- Characters and events in Red Dead Redemption can be understood without first treating the older game as required homework.
- The long-form campaign gives you time to learn the riding, exploration, shooting, hunting and mission systems before the follow-up’s more focused story.
There is one trade-off: because this is a prequel made after Red Dead Redemption, some dramatic context is designed for players who already recognize where the wider saga is heading. That is not a reason to change the order; it is simply part of experiencing a prequel in chronological sequence.
Step 2: Continue with Red Dead Redemption
The chronological handoff
After the RDR2 epilogue, start the original Red Dead Redemption. Its main campaign takes place in 1911 and follows John Marston. The gap from the earlier game’s epilogue to this campaign is intentional: the setting has moved forward, and the story examines what remains after the gang era.
Complete the main campaign and its epilogue
As with RDR2, the epilogue is part of the recommended chronological experience rather than disposable post-game content. Finish it before beginning Undead Nightmare. The normal campaign and epilogue together form the standard Red Dead Redemption narrative; stopping at the first set of credits leaves the game’s final time jump unexplored.
What changes compared with RDR2
- The story is more concentrated around John’s objective than the earlier game’s ensemble structure.
- The world reflects a later stage of the frontier, so institutions, technology and social pressure feel different even when locations or themes are familiar.
- The campaign is designed as a continuation, not as a second route through the same events.
Playing the games in this order also avoids a common confusion: John is not being introduced as a completely unrelated protagonist. His place in the earlier gang period has already been established, so the later game can focus on consequences rather than reintroducing every relationship from the beginning.
Step 3: Play Undead Nightmare only after the normal Red Dead Redemption story
What Undead Nightmare is
Undead Nightmare is a separate selectable gameplay experience that transforms the Red Dead Redemption setting into open-world zombie horror. In Take-Two’s official announcement, Rockstar founder Sam Houser described it this way: “With Undead Nightmare, Red Dead Redemption is completely transformed into an open-world zombie-horror experience.” That description matters for chronology: this is not the next canonical historical chapter in the ordinary western storyline.
Why it belongs after the campaign
The scenario uses the existing Red Dead Redemption world and characters in an alternate premise. Playing it first can introduce the setting through rules and events that do not represent the standard story. Finishing the normal campaign first preserves the intended western narrative and lets the horror scenario work as a change of genre afterward.
How to treat its ending
Do not try to insert Undead Nightmare between missions or between the main campaign and epilogue. Treat it as a self-contained coda that you launch after completing the ordinary game. It is best understood as optional bonus fiction: enjoyable for players who want a supernatural variation, but not necessary to follow the canonical relationship between the two main titles.
Checking whether your edition includes it
Availability depends on the product edition and platform. Rockstar’s support information presents Undead Nightmare as an accessible gameplay option, but a particular purchase may package it differently or omit it. Before buying or installing, inspect the current platform listing for the exact product name, included campaigns and region. Do not assume that owning a copy of the main game automatically means the zombie experience is included.
Where Red Dead Revolver fits
Its setting is earlier, but its continuity is separate
Red Dead Revolver is set approximately in the 1880s, earlier than every entry in the canonical Redemption timeline. That date makes it look like the natural first game, but its continuity is separate. It is not a required prequel to Arthur Morgan’s or John Marston’s story, and the Redemption arc does not depend on its plot.
Two sensible ways to play it
- Chronology-first option: play Red Dead Revolver before Red Dead Redemption 2 as an optional western prologue, then follow the canonical order.
- Redemption-first option: skip Revolver until after completing the two main Redemption games, then approach it as a separate historical western rather than as missing backstory.
The second option is usually clearer for someone whose goal is specifically the Redemption narrative. The first is appropriate if you want the earliest approximate setting and do not mind switching continuities before the main saga begins.
What not to expect
Do not use Revolver to fill in a supposed gap between the 1880s and 1899. Its earlier date is a setting detail, not evidence that it shares the same canonical history. Keep its characters, plot and world-building conceptually separate when discussing the Redemption games.
Chronological order versus release order
Release order explains why many guides give a different sequence. The games reached players in this order:
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- When federal agents threaten his family, former outlaw John Marston is forced to hunt down the gang of criminals he once called friends.
- Experience Marston’s journey across the sprawling expanses of the American West and Mexico as he fights to bury his blood-stained past in the critically acclaimed predecessor to the 2018 blockbuster, Red Dead Redemption 2.
- Also included is Undead Nightmare, the iconic horror story that transforms the world of Red Dead Redemption into an apocalyptic fight for survival against a zombie horde.
| Release year | Release | What that order means |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Red Dead Revolver | Earlier western title in its own continuity |
| 2010 | Red Dead Redemption | First release in the canonical Redemption story |
| 2010 | Undead Nightmare | Separate zombie-horror experience associated with Red Dead Redemption |
| 2018 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | Later release that functions as the narrative prequel |
Release order can be valuable for returning players who want to experience the series as audiences originally did. It preserves the older game’s introductions and lets you see how the later prequel recontextualizes them. It is not the best answer to a reader who explicitly asks for chronological story order, however. For that purpose, start with RDR2 and then move to RDR.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose the order that matches your goal
If this is your first time with the series
Use the canonical sequence: RDR2, including its epilogue; RDR, including its epilogue; then Undead Nightmare if you want the alternate horror scenario. Add Revolver only if you specifically want a separate 1880s western.
If you already played Red Dead Redemption
Play RDR2 next and complete both of its story phases. You will recognize the later world while gaining the earlier context that was unavailable when the first game was released. Afterward, Undead Nightmare remains available as an optional replay of the original setting in a different genre.
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If you care about release history
Use the release sequence beginning with Revolver, followed by Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare, and finish with RDR2. This is a different experience from chronological order, so decide whether you want historical context about the games’ development or in-universe story progression.
If you want only the essential story
Play RDR2 and RDR. Revolver is outside the required continuity, and Undead Nightmare is an alternate scenario rather than a necessary chapter. This two-game route contains the canonical Redemption arc without optional detours.
If you want every distinct campaign
Begin with Revolver if you enjoy starting with the earliest approximate setting. Then play RDR2 through its epilogue, RDR through its epilogue, and Undead Nightmare last. This order keeps the separate continuity clearly labeled while still covering every major story experience in setting-date order where that comparison is meaningful.
Edition and platform checks before you start
Chronological order is stable, but the way a game is sold or accessed can change. Use this checklist for each purchase or installation:
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- Confirm the exact title: distinguish Red Dead Redemption 2 from Red Dead Redemption; their similar names do not indicate that they are the same release.
- Check the platform listing: verify that the edition is sold for the hardware or storefront you intend to use.
- Read the included-content section: look specifically for Undead Nightmare rather than assuming it is bundled with every version of Red Dead Redemption.
- Check region and language details: availability and package contents can differ by market.
- Separate campaign and online descriptions: when a listing includes several modes, identify the normal story campaign and any alternate scenario before purchasing.
- Recheck immediately before purchase: product pages, bundles and platform support can change, so rely on the current listing rather than an old package description.
These checks are particularly important if you are buying a physical copy or a bundle. A box, download page or storefront title may use a series name while placing the exact included campaigns in a separate specification panel.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Starting with the oldest setting and assuming it is canon
The approximate 1880s setting of Red Dead Revolver does not make it part of the Redemption continuity. Label it as optional and separate before deciding where to play it.
Skipping the RDR2 epilogue
The epilogue supplies the forward movement between the earlier gang era and the later game’s circumstances. Complete it before switching titles if your goal is a continuous chronology.
Playing Undead Nightmare as if it were the next historical chapter
Its zombie premise is an alternate scenario. Launch it after the normal Red Dead Redemption campaign and epilogue, not in the middle of the ordinary storyline.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Confusing release order with story order
The first Red Dead Redemption was released before RDR2, but RDR2 is the narrative prequel. Choose one ordering principle and apply it consistently rather than mixing the two lists.
Assuming every edition contains the same material
Undead Nightmare’s inclusion varies by product and platform. Verify the current listing’s contents, region and edition before paying or downloading.
The timeline in one view
The canonical sequence moves forward through four dated story points: RDR2’s main story in 1899, its epilogue in 1907, Red Dead Redemption’s main story in 1911, and its epilogue in 1914. Undead Nightmare sits outside that ordinary progression as an alternate zombie-horror scenario. Red Dead Revolver’s approximate 1880s setting is earlier, but its separate continuity means it should not be used to interpret the canonical arc.
That distinction resolves the apparent contradiction between the series’ names and dates. The game with “2” is first chronologically because it was written as a prequel, while the game released in 2004 is not automatically the first chapter of the same story.
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