Red Dead Redemption 2 is renowned as one of the most immersive open-world video games ever created. From the thrill of traversing a landscape lush‌ with wild creatures and human inhabitants, to the satisfaction of playing​ out the narrative of a lawless gang looking to make one final run at securing a future ​for themselves out West. But a hidden narrative within the game reveals an underlying​ betrayal that raises questions⁣ about ‍the⁤ game’s own steelbook promotion.

At the heart of the game’s story is the relationship between⁢ Arthur Morgan, Dutch van der Linde and John Marston. Through the ‌course of the game, Dutch and the ​gang betray each other in a variety of ways. John is betrayed by Dutch’s reckless ambition, for example, while Arthur is betrayed by Dutch when he is forced to make a difficult decision at the end of the game.

This same sense of⁢ betrayal appears in the game’s promotion. Anyone who pre-ordered Red Dead Redemption 2 was likely offered a steelbook version of⁤ the game. This version featured an image of the gang‌ wearing their​ signature outfits: the red bandana ‌for​ Dutch, ​the white ‍hat for Arthur, and the black hat for John. Yet, when one looks deeper into the game’s story, it is revealed that John is actually betrayed by the ⁢gang more‌ than once. He is​ abandoned in an outlaw’s hideout and later forced to fight his way out of town. The betrayal is highlighted most‌ when Dutch betrays him at the end of⁣ the game.

This begs the question: why would the steelbook image have depicted the three as though they remained ‍loyal to⁢ each other, when in actuality they do not? Did⁤ the game’s marketing‌ team not realize the implications of the image? Or did they consciously choose‍ to depict⁣ the gang ⁤as united‍ despite the narrative of betrayal? If so, what action-packed message were they attempting to convey?

Either way, the image used on the steelbook can come across as misleading, if not blatantly⁤ false to those familiar with the game’s⁤ plot. Questions surrounding Red Dead Redemption 2’s steelbook packaging raise important questions about the importance of accuracy when utilizing marketing materials as part of a larger promotional​ strategy. It is up to the game’s marketers to ensure that their ⁣materials accurately ⁣represent the experiences that will be had during the game. Anything else could just be seen as a form ​of false advertisement.