3 min read
Once more, Rockstar Games seems to be weaving story threads across its two popular gaming franchise. The recent GTA 6 trailer that surpassed 100 million views had eagle-eyed players looking for clues. They did end up finding multiple Red Dead Redemption 2 Easter eggs buried within the most recent Grand Theft Auto VI teaser and images.
These subtle hints drive speculation about a shared universe or maybe they are just lighthearted fan service, but it has got the old mill churning. Here are some of the obvious and subtle Easter eggs.
Presidents on the Money
In key scenes from the GTA 6 trailer, the currency used in the fictional state of Leonidas bears the portraits of Thaddeus Waxman and Franklin Hardin, two presidents drawn from Red Dead Redemption 2’s collectible cigarette cards.
Fans recognize Waxman and Hardin as wholly invented historical figures within the Red Dead universe, making their presence on GTA bills a clever cross-title reference. This reuse of in-world iconography suggests Rockstar is deliberately rewarding observant players who have explored both games in depth.
Duke Gun Logo on Modern Weaponry
A closer look at one screenshot reveals that Jason, GTA 6’s protagonist, wields an M16 bearing the logo of Duke, a firearms manufacturer originally introduced in Red Dead Redemption’s Old West setting.
The inclusion of Duke’s branding on a 21st-century assault rifle underscores Rockstar’s penchant for interlinking its game worlds through consistent in-lore companies and products. While Duke only appears as a period armorer in RDR2, its modern survival hints at a long-running corporate lineage within Rockstar’s fictional universe.
Universe or Easter Egg?
Despite these cross-franchise ties, Rockstar has yet to confirm that GTA and Red Dead Redemption share a single canonical timeline. The map of GTA 6’s Leonidas approximates modern analogues for California and New York, known in earlier titles as San Andreas and Liberty City, rather than Red Dead’s historical frontier locales. Unless an official retcon is announced, the prevailing view is that these nods function as playful Easter eggs rather than indications of a unified universe.
Community Reaction and Speculation
On Reddit and fan forums, comments range from excitement over the “hidden history” to calls for deeper narrative connections. Some speculate future DLC might lean into these crossovers, while others caution that Rockstar’s history of innocuous winks, such as movie posters and brand cameos, suggests no larger plot implications.
Broader Easter Egg Tradition
Rockstar has a long legacy of embedding Easter eggs: GTA V contained nods to Bully and Midnight Club, and RDR2 itself featured early GTA references like the “Red Dead” book in John Marston’s home.
