Red Dead Redemption 2 player shares heartwarming tribute after their in-game horse died

Even though they might not be real, it’s very easy to get attached to pets and animals in video games, for better or worse. Take it from me, I’ve been wracked with guilt from not feeding my Nintendogs for well over a decade at this point.

Even though Nintendo smartly decided to spare youngsters the heartbreak of having their beloved virtual pets actually die in the Nintendogs games, many other developers over the years haven’t been quite so thoughtful. As players will be well aware, in Red Dead Redemption 2, it’s very possible for your horse to die, which can genuinely be really upsetting when you’ve spent hours upon hours bonding with it and exploring the world together.

Take a look at this amazing clay sculpture of Arthur Morgan below.

As Game Rant reports, one player on Reddit recently shared a wholesome tribute to their in-game horse after it passed away, prompting others to share stories of their fallen steeds, too. “My horse died so I’m carrying the saddle all the way back to camp just because,” Practical-Stable2403 wrote, along with two screenshots of Arthur Morgan’s journey with the empty saddle.

Others have been empathising with the user: “I had a horse die up near Brandywine Falls… Felt the least I could do was carry the saddle all the way back to the stable in Van Horn in honour of my horse, rest in peace Chonk,” snoreasaurus3553 wrote. “Literally grieved when my horse Avery died,” boomboomofi commented. “I feel you so much. RIP. Beautiful gesture,” added JaveMohan.

Some other players admitted that they’ve previously reloaded their saves just to stop their horses from dying: “Had a horse die once, I immediately loaded a previous save [because] I was so sad. I couldn’t see her at first but when I whistled she came bounding down the hill and I cried,” wrote MallowWillow.

Rest in peace to all of Red Dead Redemption 2's fallen virtual horses - we'll never forget you.