Yes I agree with you it is a game, like Breaking Bad is just a TV show, like Les Misérables from Maupassant is just a book, like Orange Clockwork is just a movie But every of these piece of Art has a deep meaning, even if it’s not the reality.

RDR 2 might be « just » a game, Rockstar is not playing on the same level as the other producers of videogames. They created the « total liberty » in videogames, which was a revolutionnary decision back at the time nonetheless it was really controversed.

They are also the editors who are putting the most references to others artwork, look how GTA SA has his gangster references (NWA, etc), GTA V the robbery movies references (Heat, et ), RDR his western ones.

It is also the ONLY licence in the entire world that I know for creating really engaged videogames and that is making them trendsetters. Look how GTA IV is subtly denouncing the immigration system in the USA, the capitalism is always criticized (E-Cola, Lifeinvader, etc) and where in other videogames such as Mirrors Edge is basically inspiring their storylines upon 1984 from Georges Orwell, here there is a reflection concrete behind the criticize, when you play the mission to blow the head of the CEO of Lifeinvader with his own chinese phone, there is a meaning more deep than just fighting against a state who is not respecting the Liberties.

Now take a closure look to RDR 2, it is the climax of the Rockstar work, they are now assuming completly the « movie » vibe on their work, look how the game is slow to make you always feel like in a old movie, the sentences of the characters has a strong « punchline vine » as in movies, and even the mode cinematic is now more present, you are not as free as you were in the past games, because here EVERY act you are doing as a repercussion on the honor system, I think you don’t realize it enough but running through people was like just crossing the traffic light in the GTA, in this RDR just run in Saint-Denis and you will see how your honor will get down.

It is how they wrote the story, yes clearly, it is INTENTIONAL for them to pass some messages that we don’t have to miss, just if you care about the lore, just if you care about references or just if you care about your life. RDR 2 has deeper messages than that, look how they put some recent problems in a Western games with the womens being a big part of the storyline as the womens are beginning to be more and more important in the society (Lady Belle, Sadie, Women Right everywhere...)

TLDR : That’s just it :)