The story of RDR2 takes place in a fictional version of America. However, a lot of towns, settlements, states, major regions, rivers, landmarks, and whatnot have been inspired by the real United States. That doesn’t mean the folks at Rockstar Games designed all these locations to match their real-life counterparts.
They instead mixed a lot of locations together in a way that makes sense on the game’s map so that you can ride through the Wild West and make your inner cowboy happy. Let’s look at the real-life locations that inspired RDR2.
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Is the RDR2 Map Based on Real America?
Yes, it is, but it’s a mash-up of different parts of America. New Hanover alone includes the wooded hills that resemble the Ozarks and mining areas that somewhat feel closer to Appalachia. Ambarino and Lemoyne clearly give off Rocky Mountain and Deep South vibes.
The towns usually have the clearest real-life connections. Saint Denis is the strongest example here. The French influence and the bayou setting make New Orleans the closest and most obvious match.
On the other hand, Strawberry appears to draw inspiration from Strawberry, California. It’s a small mountain town in the Sierra Nevada. Blackwater shares the name and riverside layout with Blackwater, Missouri, although its larger role as a growing port city also resembles St. Louis, Missouri in the same state.
Towns in Real Life
RDR2 towns are harder to match to one real place. Valentine is one of the most popular towns and the very first town you’re introduced to in Chapter 2 of Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s been compared to Cheyenne (Wyoming), Valentine and Omaha (Nebraska), Deadwood (South Dakota), and Topeka (Kansas) because of its cattle trade and railroad design.
Now, Annesburg, which is in the northeastern part of the map, combines the look and problems of Appalachian coal towns. Remember the Do Not Seek Absolution mission where you have to rescue Mrs. Downes’ son, Archie, who is bullied and works in the mine?
Our full guide to RDR2 towns in real life looks at each major settlement.
States and Regions in Real Life
When it comes to RDR2’s states and regions in real life, the combinations get even broader. Lemoyne (I hate the Lemoyne Raiders) is mainly based on Louisiana and the wider Deep South, with swamps and the New Orleans-inspired city of Saint Denis.
New Hanover combines the Great Plains, the Midwest, the Ozarks, and Appalachia. Ambarino resembles parts of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and Idaho, especially around the Rockies and Yellowstone-like areas.
In my investigation for RDR2 locations in real life, I saw West Elizabeth compared with Texas, Oklahoma, California, Oregon, Colorado, and Wyoming because of its mixture of mountain valleys and forests. New Austin is the clearest Western blend for sure. It draws from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and the desert borderlands.
In the full RDR2 states and regions in real life guide, we break down each state and its individual regions.
Landmarks in Real Life
In RDR2, there’s no shortage of locations that you stumble upon and recognize almost immediately. Some of these locations have clear real-world matches. There are some clear instances. Cotorra Springs, which is widely compared with Yellowstone because of its geysers and hot springs.
The Lannahechee River is often treated as RDR2’s version of the Mississippi River. I believe it’s pretty similar. Big Valley has been compared closely to Yosemite Valley. The Sea of Coronado and the San Luis River have been linked to Lake Havasu and the Colorado River.
Our complete guide to RDR2 landmarks in real life covers the clearest examples of these natural locations in the game.
RDR2’s world works because Rockstar Games didn’t just copy paste. They blended the real the map of the United States into a smaller one that still feels varied and believable.
