First major Red Dead Online update brings new modes, weapons and items

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Back in the rental store days, a game came out and stayed the way it was forever. With Red Dead Online, the multiplayer part of Red Dead Redemption 2, the story was different: the game had been in beta since November 2018 and, on February 26, 2019, received its first major update, free for all owners of the game on PS4 and Xbox One.

The list of new features was long. Daily challenges arrived, earning experience and gold, along with a new event mode called Fool’s Gold and new fishing challenges. The update also brought the Rare Shotgun and announced the arrival of the Evans Repeater revolver, as well as new emotes and clothes to customize your character, and set the stage for new Showdown Modes.

The most talked-about change, however, was in visibility. Rockstar tweaked the radar and how other players appear on the map: from then on, only those closer would be shown. According to the company, the idea was to control the aggressiveness of some players. It was a direct response to community complaints about griefing and about the game’s economy, which also received reward adjustments.

What came next

The Red Dead Online beta ended on May 14, 2019. In September that year, the Frontier Pursuits update created the bounty hunter, trader and collector roles, and in December the Moonshiners pack added the production of illegal liquor. In December 2020, Red Dead Online started being sold separately, without requiring the base game. In July 2022, Rockstar announced it would stop making major updates to focus its efforts on Grand Theft Auto VI; since then, the online Wild West has received seasonal events and smaller missions. Those who lived through it remember: it was a long ride.