This
article is for modding enthusiasts who want to save disk space while
maintaining several copies of GTA IV. It can also be useful to create a
single separate copy of game folder for downgrade.
Reducing space taken by GTA IV copy folder
How to make copy for 1.0.0.0 rollback
How to make copy for 1.0.4.0 downgrade with old radio downgrader
How to make copy for classic 1.0.7.0 downgrade with official Rockstar Patch 7
How to make copy for simplified 1.0.7.0 express downgrade with ZolikaPatch
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The guide is updated in May 2026 and this method now works for any GTA IV PC version.
This guide is obsolete after native PC version of Red Dead Redemption became available on Oct 29, 2024 and Razor1911 cracked it.
You may still use concepts and software from this guide for other x360-only games as some users in comments did.
As of April 2021 Red Dead Redemption for Xbox 360 is playable on PC thanks to recent developments in Xenia emulator. Default Xenia controls are far from perfect so this guide helps to configure X360 gamepad emulation for PC RDR2-compatible keyboard and mouse controls. Physical gamepad is not required for playing!
As of August 2023 Red Dead Redemption for Nintendo Switch is available and is playable on PC using Switch emulators. This guide can be used to play that version too.
· Better performance, better look
· CONS: on some GPUs/drivers may initialize graphics and load game very slowly, no FusionFix
· Has more robust video initialization routine. May work better than 1.0.4.0 for some GPUs/drivers.
· New shadows implementation, better look but GPU-demanding.
· FusionFix v1.10 works
In general you may use any GTA IV version. The guide was successfully tested on:
· GTA IV 2020 Complete Edition properly downgraded* to 1.0.4.0 and 1.0.7.0. *Vanilla 2020CE 1.2.0.X without downgrade may also be used but for AMD GPU make sure that enbseries.ini has ForceNVidiaCard=false or else ENB won't be able to initialize display.
· GTA IV Razor1911 original release upgraded to 1.0.4.0 and 1.0.7.0
This guide may be useful only for 1.0.4.0 or older versions of the game. For later versions including 2020 Complete Edition you should try FusionFix which has many more native AA settings.
The antialiasing method described below is very simple and uses older Sweetfx that is based on injectSMAA.
Latest Reshade may also be used for Vulkan antialiasing but it is harder to install/configure and at the moment it works only in global mode e.g. it will affect all games that output through Vulkan.
As of July 2021 this method works again. I successfully tested both LaunchRDR2.bat and desktop shortcut for PlayRDR2.exe on
- RGL 1.0.42.369
- RGSC 2.0.8.5 - after every RGL/RGSC update you should redo steps from "Required setup steps when connected"section
- RDR2 build 1436.25 (Blood Money/DLSS update)
- Epic Launcher 12.2.10-16850973
Be advised that although Rockstar is commited to supporting offline mode it may inadvertently break again in some future RGSC update. Offline mode launch with saved RGSC credentials used to work until Rockstar broke it in October 2020 RGL update, then after my ticket they fixed it in November 2020 RGL update. At least now there is "alternative offline running method" by EMPRESS V2 & Mr Goldberg.
This method works if you legitimately bought the game from Epic Games Store and want to play through RDR2 story mode offline. The method (after modifications for specific store) and Troubleshooting section are also applicable to RGL and Steam RDR2 versions.
TL;DR - recent Epic Game Launcher and Rockstar Game Launcher versions explicitly support offline mode and RDR2 story mode can now be started without internet connection using only saved RGL/RGSC credentials. Moreover, it can be started from custom desktop shortcut for RGL without running Epic at all as long as this shortcut has correct saved Epic credentials as parameters - they can be obtained from RGL logfile.
