If You’ve Played Red Dead Redemption 2, You’d Hate Him, Too
Names can be a curse, as everyone with a PSN ID will attest, but some names can stir manic hatred. In this case, one unlucky fellow by the name of Colm O’Driscoll has drawn the ire of social media for no other reason than terrible coincidence. He just happens to share a name with a prime antagonist from Red Dead Redemption 2, the most popular game this year.
Colm O’Driscoll is the name of a random guy from Ireland, who doesn’t even own an Xbox One or PS4. According to Eurogamer, he’s been the verbal punching bag of many gamers on social media. While many messages are harmless and seem like nothing more than a bit of roleplay, others are rather questionable. Whatever the case, they’ve become frequent enough that real O’Driscoll is at his wit’s end.
“I find the whole thing kinda funny, but the messages are starting to get annoying,” O’Driscoll said. “A little part of me worries that some of these people are so emotionally invested in the game that they’re starting to lose perception of what’s real and what isn’t.”
In Red Dead Redemption 2, the name O’Driscoll is the badge of a gang that’s rival to the protagonists’ (Dutch’s) gang, and the name of their leader. Within minutes of starting the campaign, Arthur Morgan meets the rival gang and wastes no time fanning the hammer. Apparently, players have done the same to the real-life Colm, metaphorically speaking. Messages on social media range from “You damn O’Driscoll” to “You’re on my list of n****s to shoot tonight.”
Mister O’Driscoll, the real one, has resorted to blocking the random hooligans who shoot him hateful messages on Instagram. Considering the popularity of Red Dead Redemption 2, however, the threats may not stop anytime soon. That said, after many hours logged, I can say that in-game O’Driscoll really is a bastard. That does not justify a case of mistaken identity, though.
If you’re looking for more to do in Rockstar’s Western, look no further than our recent piece from Garrett Drake: “10 of My Favorite Things to do in Red Dead Redemption 2.” It’s better than sending hate messages.
Happy gaming.
SOURCE: Eurogamer