Pokémon Meets the Wild West in Hilarious Red Dead Redemption Mod

The creative mind behind the wild Red Dead Redemption 2 mod that used two cell phones and a rubber band is back, this time merging the game’s expansive wild west with Pokémon battles.

Known as Blurbs, this former software engineer turned content creator has successfully integrated Pokémon mechanics into Red Dead Redemption 2. Players can now capture wild Pokémon, challenge gym leaders, and navigate Pokémon-style battle menus. Instead of traditional Pokémon, Arthur Morgan faces off against the game’s existing wildlife, including everything from fish and rats to formidable bears and the Legendary Bullgator. Larger predators will even attack Arthur if he fails to catch them.

So, how did this quirky mod come to life? Blurbs shared that it was inspired by a viewer’s suggestion.

“I had previously recreated Katamari in RDR2 and asked my viewers for other games to try,” he explained. “When Pokémon was mentioned, it sounded like a fun challenge.”

What’s truly impressive is that Blurbs completed this project in just two and a half weeks, dedicating a full week to coding the battle mechanics alone.

“During testing, it was actually faster to spawn an NPC to test the mechanics, so the poor guy ‘a_m_m_armtownfolk_01′ has basically become the Elite Four trainer at this point,” he noted about the testing phase.

Despite the rapid development, the mod was no easy feat. Blurbs mentioned he had to essentially recreate Pokémon’s core features from the ground up.

“I took a week off from streaming and was pulling my hair out,” he admitted. “I definitely reconsidered this project during that time.”

In the end, the effort paid off. Blurbs, who humorously refers to himself as the “creator of nonsense,” particularly enjoys the Pokémon-style menus, which create a hilarious contrast against the hyper-realistic graphics of Red Dead Redemption 2.

“I really love that I was able to capture the retro Pokémon menus and vibe within a visual masterpiece like RDR2,” he said. “The juxtaposition still makes me laugh.”

What sets this mod apart is Blurbs’ intention to release it, which is unusual for him.

“I usually don’t release my mods because they’re quite complex and not just a typical ‘mod file,'” he explained. “This one includes a RDR2 mod and an OBS browser source for all the sounds and UI. I figured it would be popular enough that people would want to try it, so I’m going to do my best!”

While there’s no set release date yet, Blurbs is hopeful that Nintendo, known for its legal actions, won’t intervene.

“I’m going to make sure not to include any original music or sounds from Pokémon in the final release,” he stated. “I create a lot of silly mods based on viewer ideas. We’re working on a second episode of GTA V next, so come by on Twitch or YouTube and share your wildest ideas!”

As for his favorite gym leaders in Red Dead, Blurbs has a tie.

“Micah having a snake and a rat is fantastic, but Thomas Downs as a secret gym leader with all poison types is a classic,” he said. “If you know, you know.”