Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption II, set in 1911 and 1899, are the most-played American history video games since The Oregon Trail. American history professor Tore Olsson weaves the games' plot and characters into an exploration of American violence between 1870 and 1920, showing that it was more often disputes over capitalism and race, not just poker games and bank robberies, that fuelled the bloodshed of these turbulent years. Olsson reveals the gritty and brutal world that inspired the games, but sometimes lacks context and complexity on the digital screen.
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