If you’ve spent any time riding with the Van der Linde gang, you know the world of Rockstar’s masterpiece feels massive. It’s not just a big map; it feels like a real country. But for anyone trying to pin it down on a GPS, things get a bit tricky. Where does Red Dead Redemption 2 take place, exactly? Well, it’s not just one spot.
It’s a huge, messy, beautiful mashup of the American spirit circa 1899.
The game world is split into five distinct fictional states: Ambarino, Lemoyne, New Hanover, West Elizabeth, and New Austin. While these names won't appear on any real-life map of the United States, they aren't just pulled out of thin air. They are love letters to real American landscapes, from the humid swamps of the Deep South to the brutal, wind-whipped peaks of the Rockies.
The Five States and Their Real-World Cousins
Rockstar didn't just build a "Western" map. They built a condensed version of the entire American frontier. Honestly, the way they squeezed everything from the Gulf Coast to the Great Plains into one seamless world is kind of a technical miracle.
Lemoyne: The Deep South Gothic
If you’ve ever been to Louisiana, you’ll recognize Lemoyne instantly. This is the southeastern corner of the map. It's hot. It’s damp. The air feels heavy. Saint Denis, the crown jewel of the state, is a dead ringer for New Orleans. From the French architecture and the streetcars to the above-ground cemeteries (because of that high water table), the resemblance is uncanny.
The state is broken into three main areas:
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- Bayou Nwa: Pure Louisiana swamps, complete with alligators and Spanish moss.
- Scarlett Meadows: Red clay soil and tobacco plantations that feel very much like Georgia or Alabama.
- Bluewater Marsh: The murky transition between the land and the Lannahechee River.
New Hanover: The Heart of the Heartland
This state is basically the "middle" of the game’s soul. It’s huge and diverse. You've got the Heartlands, which are clearly inspired by the rolling prairies of Nebraska and Kansas. Then you have Roanoke Ridge, a jagged, forested area that screams Appalachia or the Ozarks.
The town of Annesburg is a grim coal-mining settlement that feels like it was ripped straight out of 19th-century West Virginia or Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Valentine is the quintessential "cow town," likely based on real-life Valentine, Nebraska, though the game adds some dramatic, jagged mountains nearby that the real Nebraska lacks.
Ambarino: The Brutal North
If you’re looking for where the game starts, this is it. Ambarino is the high-altitude wilderness. There are no major cities here—just snow, wolves, and the Grizzlies. Geographically, this represents the Rocky Mountains, specifically areas like Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado. The name "Ambarino" even means "amber" in Spanish, which some think is a nod to the "amber waves of grain" or perhaps a linguistic play on Colorado ("reddish").
West Elizabeth: The Great Divide
West Elizabeth is a transitional state. It connects the rugged mountains to the open plains. You’ve got the Big Valley, which looks like a postcard from Yosemite or California’s Sierra Nevada. Then there’s Blackwater, a booming port city that represents the "civilized" world encroaching on the frontier. While some fans argue Blackwater is based on Blackwater, Missouri, its role in the game is more like a stand-in for St. Louis or even a developing Sacramento.
New Austin: The Classic West
This is the area returning from the first game. It’s the desert. Think Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. You’ve got the mesas, the saguaro cacti, and the blistering heat. It’s the Hollywood version of the Wild West, specifically the Rio Grande region along the border of Mexico.
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What About That Secret Island?
We can't talk about where Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place without mentioning Guarma. In Chapter 5, the gang gets shipwrecked on a tropical island. While Guarma is fictional, it’s heavily based on Cuba and Puerto Rico.
The game actually mentions Cuba by name, but Guarma is situated as its own little hellscape of sugar plantations and naval conflict. Rockstar even hired dialect coaches to ensure the local Spanish sounded authentic to the Caribbean region of that era. It’s a jarring shift from the snowy peaks of Ambarino, but it highlights just how far the gang has been pushed from their home turf.
Is the Map Historically Accurate?
Sorta. But not really.
Rockstar prioritizes "vibes" over literal geography. For instance, in the real world, you can’t ride a horse from a Louisiana swamp to a Colorado mountain range in twenty minutes. In Red Dead, you can. They’ve compressed the American landscape to make it playable.
The technology used here is fascinating. They didn't just paint a map; they used historical data on mining techniques, period-accurate architecture, and even real-world soil types to make the world feel lived-in. When you see the "Cornstalk Fence" in Saint Denis, that’s a real thing you can still see at the Cornstalk Fence Hotel in New Orleans today.
Mapping Your Own Journey
To really understand the scale, you have to look at the "Lannahechee River." In the game's lore, this is the stand-in for the Mississippi River. It serves as the great boundary between the "civilized" East and the wild West.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world, here’s what you should do:
- Visit the Real Landmarks: If you’re ever in New Orleans, take a walk through the Garden District. You’ll see the exact houses that inspired the ones in Saint Denis.
- Check the Cigarette Cards: The in-game collectibles often mention real-world cities like Chicago and New York, proving that the RDR2 states exist alongside the real US states in a weird, parallel-universe way.
- Explore the Borders: Ride to the far west of New Austin and look across the San Luis River. That’s Mexico (Nuevo Paraíso). While you can't officially go there in the main story of the sequel, it's there, shimmering in the heat haze, reminding you of the first game's journey.
The world of Arthur Morgan isn't just a place on a map. It’s a snapshot of a country in the middle of a violent, messy transformation.