Your in-game posse has black characters in it, and you meet racists who are portrayed in a poor light. While not explicitly about race, Red Dead Redemption 2 does brush up against the subject. Beyond the mechanical possibility spaces Rockstar expertly devises, its games are known for their social commentary and serious narratives. In its 20-year history, Rockstar Games has garnered prestige for lavish playhouses where players can run amok, social mores be damned. What to make of that expectation? Is the cowboy fantasy inextricably linked with racism for players, even in this digital world? Should it be in a game? After all, the spectator says, Red Dead Redemption is so detailed that it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume Rockstar might have hidden something special for curious players. The top comment on the footage, which has 11,000 upvotes, bemoans that Rockstar didn’t account for a player forcing a black man and a KKK member to meet. “The KKK video was an idea many viewers wanted me to test,” Shirrako told The Verge. But by far, his most popular video is “ What Happens If You Bring Black Man To KKK?”, a three-minute Red Dead Redemption 2 clip that has been viewed over 8 million times.
One YouTuber in particular, Shirrako, has a channel full of taboo situations that he concocts for the viewing pleasure of his audience ( like feeding an in-game feminist to a virtual alligator). To play Red Dead Redemption 2 is to test the boundaries of what is possible within its elaborate simulation. Red Dead also takes place in 1899 - three years after the Supreme Court legalized racial segregation, midway through the presidency of a man who fought in the Civil War - which means, for some fans, era-specific racism becomes a part of the experience. This onerous devotion to a rewarding cowboy fantasy birthed a culture that expects that developers Rockstar Games have accounted for nearly anything the player might do within its digital borders. Even background scenery demands attention. Minor characters all have elaborate routines, suggestions of a life beyond the player. You must eat, you must bathe, you must shave, you must clean your guns. Learn more about the LegenDairy Cow with this interactive game.The joys of Red Dead Redemption 2’s open world are in its details. Originally from England, Milking Shorthorns arrived on this side of the pond in the 1780s. Milking Shorthorns are known for being efficient grazers that are easy to manage, which may be why they became world travelers early on they were the first dairy cows brought to America, New Zealand and Australia. Ayrshires also tend to be more dominant than other dairy breeds – I like to think they’re representing their Scottish heritage. They’re orangey-brown and known for being hardy and long-living. They came to America in the early 1900s.Īyrshires (pronounced air-sheers) used to be called Dunlops. Guernsey cows are from Britain, but are believed to have originated from two French breeds. A high amount of beta carotene – a source of vitamin A – gives the milk its rich color. Guernseys are known as The Royal Breed thanks to their golden milk. Brown Swiss cows are originally from (you guessed it) Switzerland, and came to America in the 1860s. They’re also known for their big furry ears and for being the second most productive dairy cows. Jersey cows are originally from Britain, and came to America in the 1860s.īrown Swiss cows are believed to have been around longer than any other breed – maybe it’s those centuries of wisdom that have made this breed so docile.
But it’s what’s on the inside that counts, and they produce some of the richest milk, often used to produce butter and cheese. Jersey cows are a smaller breed, with soft brown hair and great big beautiful eyes. Holsteins are originally from Holland, and came to America in the 1850s. Holsteins make up about 90% of the dairy cows in America, and they owe their popularity to their productivity – on average making nearly nine gallons of milk every day. When you think of a dairy cow, you probably picture a black-and-white Holstein. Ever wonder where your milk comes from? I mean, what kind of cow it comes from? There are six different breeds of dairy cow in our region, and each has its own unique personality.