Red Dead Redemption 2's Australian denial may not indicate PC port

We don't mean to rain on everyone's parade, but the recent Red Dead Redemption 2 classification denial in Australia probably doesn't mean what you think it means. It's likely not for a PC port.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 is almost assuredly coming to PC. Missing out on PC sales is just leaving sales and microtransaction cash on the table. No one knows when, but Rockstar just rolled out its own proprietary PC games launcher to prep the platform for new titles. It could definitely be soon. But contrary to reports, the latest RDR2 classification denial in Australia likely isn't for a PC version of the game. The idea is the Australian Classifications board refused a listing for RDR2 on PC, but there's some holes in this theory.

Australia actually approved the Western shooter when it came out, giving it a restricted MA15+ rating. The original filing is for Red Dead Redemption II, the proper title of the game, and was submitted by Rockstar Games (see below).

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The new refused listing was filed in August 2019 and wasn't submitted by Rockstar Games, but by the IARC, the International Age Ratings Coalition. And the listing doesn't have the game's correct title, instead calling it Red Dead Redemption 2 (see below).

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So why would the ratings commission refuse the new listing?

Probably because A) the game has already technically been classified, B) it wasn't made by Rockstar Games, and C) it's technically the improper title.

Red Dead Redemption II's classification duration is listed as "variable," so I'm wondering if Rockstar themselves would have to apply for new classification for a PC port or not.

In any case, we should definitely expect the massively acclaimed old West sim to roll out on PC at some point. But this denial probably doesn't indicate a launch is soon--if anything, the PC launcher is more evidence than this listing.