It depends which game you mean. In Red Dead Redemption 2, Arthur cannot normally explore Blackwater freely during the main story: the region is under a Wanted Dead or Alive restriction. Progress to the epilogue to explore as John. In the original Red Dead Redemption, Blackwater opens through story progression; fast travel is a separate option for reaching places you have already visited.
Getting to Blackwater in Red Dead Redemption 2
During most of the main story, Blackwater and the surrounding restricted territory are dangerous for Arthur. Entering the area can trigger intense pursuit, so there is no dependable normal route for free exploration as Arthur. For unrestricted exploration, continue the story into the epilogue, where you play as John. Red Dead Wiki and guides from GTABase describe the restriction and later access.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Brand New Factory Sealed | $23.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Red Dead Redemption - PlayStation 5 | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Silent Hill 2 (PS5) | $29.50 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Red Dead Redemption 2 - Playstation 4 (PS4) [video game]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Nt8yEvQpL._SL160_.jpg)
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Red Dead Redemption 2 - Playstation 4 (PS4) [video game] | $25.79 | Buy on Amazon |
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Marvel's Wolverine PS5 | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
If a mission sends you toward Blackwater
In The First Shall Be Last, follow the yellow objective marker toward Sean. The mission’s route is a specific objective, not permission to stop and explore Blackwater safely as Arthur. Follow the mission rather than treating the town as an optional destination. PowerPyx’s walkthrough covers the mission context.
Why trying to slip in is unreliable
Players sometimes look for ways to enter without alerting the law or triggering a bounty. Reports of glitches do not establish a reliable method across current patches, platforms, and editions. If you want to explore rather than complete a mission, waiting until the epilogue is the dependable choice.
#1 Best Overall
- From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption
- The deepest and most complex world Rockstar Games has ever created
- Covers a huge range of 19th century American landscapes
- Play as Arthur Morgan, lead enforcer in the notorious Van der Linde gang
- Interact with every character in the world with more than just your gun;Engage in conversation with people you meet. Your actions influence Arthur's honour;Horses are a cowboy's best friend, both transport and personal companion;Bond with your horse as you ride together to unlock new abilities
Getting to Blackwater in the original Red Dead Redemption
In the original game, access to Blackwater is tied to story progression. Keep advancing the campaign until the story opens the area; fast travel does not unlock a town you have not reached through play. An older mirrored IGN walkthrough describes the original story progression, though it is an older guide.
Fast travel after visiting a location
Rockstar Support’s instructions for the original single-player campaign say to place a waypoint on the map, establish camp, then choose a visited town or the waypoint from the fast-travel options. Stagecoaches are another quick-travel option. These instructions apply to the original game’s single-player campaign, not Undead Nightmare. See Rockstar Support’s fast-travel guide.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Marvel’s Wolverine is a new action-packed adventure from Insomniac Games
- Play as Wolverine and Ravage enemies with explosive brutality and unleash razor-sharp adamantium claws to deploy fast, fluid attacks and overcome impossible odds
- An Original, Emotionally Charged Story. Beneath Wolverine’s gruff exterior and violent temperament is a man fighting for a cause greater than himself
- A Global, Adrenaline-Fueled Journey where you slice into enemies across detailed locales such as the frosted Canadian Wilderness, the narrow streets of Tokyo, and the high and low districts of the island nation of Madripoor
Rank #4
- From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption
- The deepest and most complex world Rockstar Games has ever created
- Covers a huge range of 19th century American landscapes
- Play as Arthur Morgan, lead enforcer in the notorious Van der Linde gang
- Please note that although this game is Region Free or Region Unlocked and will work on all systems, this is the international version and may differ from the local version in age rating, labeling or instructions.
Rank #3
- Fully Remade to terrify modern audiences
- KONAMI's intense psychological horror masterpiece SILENT HILL 2 is made exclusively for PlayStation 5
- The main protagonist James Sunderland searches for clues in the namesake town, after receiving a mysterious letter from his wife Mary… who has long been dead
- Experience the eerie monsters and other manifestations of James' consciousness reworked after 20 years
- Made with state-of-the-art technology to play on modern entertainment systems in 4K
Rank #2
- When federal agents threaten his family, former outlaw John Marston is forced to hunt down the gang of criminals he once called friends.
- Experience Marston’s journey across the sprawling expanses of the American West and Mexico as he fights to bury his blood-stained past in the critically acclaimed predecessor to the 2018 blockbuster, Red Dead Redemption 2.
- Also included is Undead Nightmare, the iconic horror story that transforms the world of Red Dead Redemption into an apocalyptic fight for survival against a zombie horde.
Which route should you use?
| Game and situation | Character | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2, main story, optional exploration | Arthur | Do not treat Blackwater as a freely explorable destination; continue the story to the epilogue. |
| Red Dead Redemption 2, The First Shall Be Last | Arthur | Follow the yellow marker toward Sean as the mission directs. |
| Original Red Dead Redemption, story access | As the campaign progresses | Advance the story until the area is opened. |
| Original Red Dead Redemption, fast travel | Single-player campaign | Use camp fast travel to a visited town or waypoint, or take a stagecoach; Rockstar’s instructions exclude Undead Nightmare. |
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