- Primary Subject: Red Dead Redemption 2
- Key Update: A fan-made mod transforms RDR2 into a Pokémon-style capture-and-battle RPG using wildlife and custom systems.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 4, 2026
- Quick Answer: A PC mod reworks Red Dead Redemption 2 into a creature-battling RPG with animal capture, turn-based fights, party systems, and parody elements to avoid Pokémon IP use.
A highly creative PC mod is reshaping Red Dead Redemption 2 into something that feels closer to a monster-battling RPG than a Western outlaw sim.
The project, made by creator and ex-engineer Blurbs, reimagines RDR2’s wildlife as a structured capture-and-battle system inspired by Pokémon, keeping the game’s real animals intact and layering RPG mechanics over the existing world.
How Does the Animal Catching System Work?
At the heart of the overhaul is a capture system that replaces simple hunting interactions with a chance-based “taming” attempt.
Arthur throws a custom ball-like tool to try to secure an animal, and stronger or more aggressive species may fight back if the attempt fails, creating risk similar to facing high-level wild encounters in creature-collection games.
Even rare and legendary animals are integrated, turning what used to be side activities into major prize encounters.
How Are Battles Different From Normal RDR2 Combat?
Combat is reworked so that interacting with particular NPCs triggers structured, turn-based encounters in their own interface.
Combat doesn’t rely on guns or brawling; players deploy animals they’ve collected, picking abilities influenced by specialized skills and type-based characteristics.
Every creature is nameable and can be arranged within a party system, encouraging squad-building over conventional weapon use.
The mod essentially overlays a full RPG battle logic system onto RDR2’s engine. Major characters are part of this system, and members of Arthur Morgan’s gang act as Gym Leader equivalents who serve as themed boss fights instead of regular encounters.
It turns story-driven personalities into advancement markers, giving the system order outside of random battles.
Why Is This Mod Technically Impressive?
Technically speaking, the project goes far beyond a typical fan mod, with the developer creating battle systems, UI menus, and party mechanics almost entirely from scratch instead of adjusting existing ones.
Pairing old-school RPG menus with RDR2’s hyper-realistic look is a purposeful choice that boosts Blurbs’ signature humor.
Unlike typical plug-and-play mods, this one uses external programs for certain interface and audio functions, which adds complexity and means more prep work is needed before going public.
Why Is It Described as “Legally Distinct”?
Because Pokémon is a tightly protected intellectual property, the project avoids using official assets.
The names, audio, and visual designs are altered into parody equivalents, so it functions as a separate homage instead of a copy.
Attention is centered on gameplay mechanics and design structure, not character duplication, and despite being showcased in working form, the mod has no official release date yet.
If it becomes available, it will be a PC-only experience and may require more setup than standard RDR2 mods.
Even so, the project remains one of the most creative uses of Rockstar’s open world, reshaping a grounded frontier into a functional creature-battling RPG without changing the map itself.
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