Report: Red Dead Redemption 2 world map leaked

By Mike Epstein Published April 15, 2016

An image of what may be the world map for an upcoming follow-up to Red Dead Redemption was posted on gaming forum NeoGAF Friday. The map was originally posted on the forum by user Mideon, who then took it down shortly after, but not before other users could download and repost it.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

After the leak was published, Techradar reported that a source “close to the development” of the game confirmed the image as an authentic and “very recent” internal art document for a Red Dead Redemption prequel, which will take place “just east” of the area seen in 2010 western.

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As the report points out, the two maps share some common ground: An area called Blackwater, which sat on the upper-right corner of the Redemption world map and is in the lower-left corner of the leaked image. The map also features numerous “settlements” and camps, which would make sense if the game were a prequel set during the early days of American settlement.

The report also noted that the map features a city called New Bourdeaux, which happens to be the name of the New Orleans-esque setting for an official upcoming Take-Two Interactive property, Mafia III. On the leaked map, New Bourdeaux is part of an area called “Bayou NWA,” suggesting the city also serves as a New Orleans stand-in here.

As with many rumors and reports, it’s worth noting that none of this information has been confirmed or verified by the series’ developer, Rockstar Games, or publisher, Take-Two Interactive. Neither company has officially confirmed the existence of a new “Red Dead” game. That said, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick referred to the series as one of the company’s “permanent” franchises, indicating that the company planned to get around to a sequel sooner or later.

Former Associate Editor, Gaming

Michael is a New York-based tech and culture reporter, and a graduate of Northwestwern University’s Medill School of…

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Gaming

The best weapon mods and perks in Dead Island 2

Dead Island 2 zombie

Ever since Dead Rising came onto the scene, it is almost mandatory for zombie games to include some kind of weapon-crafting system. The first Dead Island had it, and now Dead Island 2 does as well. This system lets you turn any ordinary bat or blade into an electrified powerhouse, flaming flurry, and much more. Aside from needing the materials to actually construct these mods on your weapon of choice, you also need to find their respective blueprint in order to craft it. Considering there are more 30 mods -- and even more perks -- in Dead Island 2, we don't expect you to go find them all and figure out which ones are best. You've got too many zombies to kill for that, so we've done the homework and listed all the best weapon mods and perks in Dead Island 2, plus where you can get them if you haven't found them yet.
Best weapon mods

Superior Melee Liquidator Mod
Any mod that applies the Liquidator effect to your weapon means it will start inflicting Caustic damage. While every element is useful, Caustic in particular is the top choice because there are very few zombies that are immune to this damage type. Because status effects build up based on continuous hits, this mod works best when attached to a weapon with a high rate of attack like a dagger or brass knuckles.

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The best Skill Cards in Dead Island 2

A deck of skill cards.

You may not think a first-person game about bashing zombies with all sorts of melee weapons would be an RPG, but Dead Island 2 is a little deceptive like that. Each of the six playable Slayers has its own base stats, but once you've selected them, there's not much else to worry about in that regard. What will really define your build is the Skill Cards. These act as a mixture of abilities and buffs you can slot into your character, but unlike a traditional skill tree where you simply unlock new skills as you go, cards can be swapped in and out whenever you like. While that's great for versatility, the sheer number of cards can make creating an effective build more intimidating than a swarm of flesh-eaters. Before you take on the horrors of Hell-A, take a look at the best Skill Cards in Dead Island 2.
How to get Skill Cards

Before getting into the deeper aspects of Skill Cards in Dead Island 2, you need to know how to actually get more of these bad boys. You'll start with two Innate Skills for your chosen Slayer, and get your first one when you hit level 2, but the system won't open up to you until you hit level 3.

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Which character should you pick in Dead Island 2?

Dani lights a cigarette as zombies attack her from behind in Dead Island 2 key art.

After a brief introductory sequence showing how each of the playable characters, referred to as Slayers in Dead Island 2, end up on the doomed evacuation plane at the start of the game, you are forced to pick who you will play as. If you hadn't played the first game -- and considering it came out over 10 years ago we wouldn't blame you if you hadn't -- then you may not know that your choice of character is more than just cosmetic. Each of the six playable Slayers not only starts off with its own stat distribution from the others but with two ability cards as well. In a narrative sense, almost nothing is different depending on who you pick, so this decision all comes down to choosing the right character for how you prefer to play. Don't let the excitement of bashing in some zombie heads rush your decision and first make sure you understand just how important this choice is in Dead Island 2.
Can you change characters in Dead Island 2?

This is the main reason your character choice is so important. In Dead Island 2, once you choose a Slayer, you're locked in for the duration of the game. If you want to try out a different character, you will need to start the game over from scratch, so unless you're okay with undoing all your progress, or want to do a second playthrough, give this decision a good deal of thought so you don't have any regrets.
Every character's stats and skills