Bloody Hell, RDR2's Wild West Secrets Are Still Unfolding, And They're Surprisingly... Poopy
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Six years on, the Red Dead Redemption 2 community is still unearthing hilariously absurd details about Rockstar's infamous attention to detail, particularly regarding equine excretions, proving the game's enduring charm and players' relentless curiosity.
Right, so buckle up, mates, because I’ve been tinkering with this story all morning, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than it first appeared. You know that feeling when you cast a spell and it works a bit too well, opening a portal to a dimension you *really* didn't expect? That’s pretty much what’s happening with Red Dead Redemption 2 right now. Six years on from its grand debut, you’d think we’d have wrung every last drop of digital detail out of Rockstar’s epic Western. But nope, apparently, the Wild West still has secrets, and some of them are, well, a bit… ripe.
Rockstar Games, bless their cotton socks, are notorious for their almost obsessive attention to detail. I mean, remember when RDR2 dropped, and everyone was collectively amazed (and maybe a little bit unnerved) by the prospect of realistic horse anatomy? Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. They built a world so granular, so ridiculously intricate, that it almost feels like it could peel off the screen and walk right into your living room. So, when a video popped up on Reddit, showing Arthur Morgan's trusty steed performing a rather... *natural* bodily function directly into the camp stew, and then Abigail promptly eating it and throwing up, a sizeable chunk of the gaming populace just went, "Yep, that tracks. Rockstar would totally do that."
And fair dinkum, you can't blame 'em for thinking it. It sounds exactly like the kind of brilliantly bizarre, utterly pointless-yet-somehow-essential detail Rockstar would painstakingly program. Like, imagine the dev team meeting: "Right, so, realistic muzzle flash, nuanced character dialogue, moral choices that actually sting... and what about horse poo physics? Crucial, lads. Absolutely crucial."
Now, before you go trying to recreate this culinary nightmare in your own game – and frankly, mate, I hope you don't – let's temper the chaos with a touch of Jeff-level skepticism. While RDR2 horses *do* indeed have their moments of organic expression, and camp members *can* complain about your cooking if it’s genuinely awful, the video is staged, at least in part. Turns out, characters don't just spontaneously projectile vomit in the game without a mod lending a helping hand. And if they really dislike your five-star, perfectly brewed gourmet squirrel stew, they'll usually just politely (or not-so-politely) decline it rather than suffering through it only to lose their lunch. See? Even in the Wild West, there are some standards.
But here's where it gets truly wild, and where my inner digital wizard just had to dive headfirst into the rabbit hole. Because in trying to figure out what was real and what was clever trickery, I stumbled upon a whole constellation of equine-related curiosities that genuinely blew my mind.
Did you know, for instance, that RDR2 horses can actually *poop during cutscenes*? Think about that for a second. You're in the middle of some high-stakes, dramatic dialogue, Arthur's delivering a perfectly gruff one-liner, and Flicka in the background is just, well, doing her thing. That’s commitment to realism, or perhaps just a hilarious oversight that became a feature. Probably both.
Then there’s the internet thread that sincerely asked, "Why does my horse always poop when I brush it?" Now, I'm no equine expert, digital or otherwise, but apparently, this isn't some fever dream. It’s a thing! And this, naturally, led me to a video of someone hogtying a member of the KKK (because, Red Dead Redemption 2) and placing them under their horse, then brushing the poor beast repeatedly, specifically hoping for a 'depositing' outcome. The lengths gamers go to for science... or poetic justice.
My journey through this digital manure-verse then took me to "horse poop science." One intrepid soul decided to spend an *entire hour* just observing horse butts in-game, meticulously documenting the frequency of their bowel movements. Turns out, two out of three horses are pretty regular, while the third was apparently a bit shy. The scientist also noted they didn't feed the horses during this experiment, which, as any digital horse wrangler knows, totally impacts the digestive schedule. Who knew game logic extended to that much detail?
And despite RDR2 being, let’s be honest, kinda quiet on the news front until recently, a year ago, another player decided to bravely venture where no one had before: they tested what happens when you *step in horse excrement*. The answer? Nothing particularly dramatic, FYI. But the fact that someone even *wondered* if there was a hidden detail there, and thought others might be interested in knowing, speaks volumes about the sheer respect and curiosity players have for Rockstar’s craft. And to their credit, Rockstar did include *some* details here – it's all about the terrain. On plain earth, for example, the poop actually deforms when you step on it. And because why not, the logs can even attract flies. Because, realism. And perhaps a subtle ode to *Jurassic Park*'s pile of dino droppings.
Some of this fascination is, without a shadow of a doubt, purely for the laughs. Or maybe there’s no other explanation for why someone uploaded a video of *horse poop ASMR* that thousands of people have watched. I mean, come on. That’s peak internet right there. That’s where the digital universe truly gets weird.
One final fun fact for any sickos who made it this far into the weeds with me: Red Dead Redemption 2 *does* have a hygiene system. NPCs will totally remark on Arthur’s appearance if he’s a bit whiffy. They’ll even tell you he’s not the freshest cowboy around. But, and this is important for your personal well-being in the Wild West, the hygiene mechanic *doesn't* seem to factor in any interactions you may or may not have had with horse feces. So you can wade through all the digital dung you like; as long as you shower, Arthur’s reputation remains untarnished by the muck. The more you know, eh?
What this all boils down to, beyond the immediate absurdity, is a fascinating look at the longevity of a truly masterfully crafted game. RDR2 keeps on giving, not just through its grand narratives and breathtaking vistas, but through the endless, unexpected layers of detail that encourage players to probe, to experiment, to wonder "what happens if..." It’s a testament to a development philosophy that embraces emergent gameplay and rewards sheer, unadulterated curiosity. It’s what keeps a game alive, keeps the community buzzing, and honestly, keeps guys like me wondering what other hilariously gross or utterly mundane secrets are still lurking in the digital shadows. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need a shower.
Tags: Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar Games, Gaming Details, Community Discoveries, Open World Games
Original article: Polygon