Red Dead Redemption 2 was released a couple of weeks ago and, as we reported, broke sales records that have never been seen before for a weekend release. With that type of popularity, it’s no surprise that gamers are geeking out about the news that Red Dead Online is being released in beta today, with waves coming out for those who played the Ultimate version of the game.
The beta version, which is free for those who own Red Dead Redemption 2, Varietyallows players to keep their progress in the game as developers continue to improve and iterate on it, with a final version expected at some point, but there’s no details on when that might be. That’s according to, which also included additional information from Rockstar Games about the beta release.
“The launch of the Red Dead Online Beta is the first step in what will be a continually expanding and dynamic world, and the beta period will allow us to deal with the inevitable turbulence of launching any online experience of this size and scale,” according to Rockstar Games. ”
“Explore this huge world solo or with friends. Form or join a Posse to ride with up to seven players; gather around the fire at your Camp; head out hunting or fishing; visit bustling towns; battle enemy gangs and attack their hideouts; hunt for treasure; take on missions and interact with familiar characters from across the five states; or fight against other outlaws in both spontaneous skirmishes and pitched set-piece battles; compete with other players or whole Posses in open world challenges and much more.”
The release from Rockstar goes on to say that their hope is to rely on the community of gamers who passionately play Red Dead Redemption 2, hoping that those users help identify problems and share ideas, while assisting in shaping the future of the online experience.
The Variety article goes on to identify some of the unique features of the beta version of Red Dead Online.
“Red Dead Online” will feature an open world that is home to all of the animals of the single-player game. It will include support for hunting, fishing, treasuring hunting, posses, camps and a variety of competitive modes. While the game won’t have the complex, threaded single-player storyline of “Red Dead Redemption 2,” it will feature a sort of narrative tied to cooperative play for the online game’s posses.
“With the gameplay of ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ as its foundation, ‘Red Dead Online’ transforms the vast and deeply detailed landscapes, cities, towns and habitats of ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ into a new, living online world ready to be shared by multiple players,” according to Rockstar Games. “Create and customize your character, tailor your abilities to suit your play style and head out into a new frontier full of things to experience.
There’s no additional news as of yet about the beta version other than what’s already been reported, but this is a huge opportunity for Red Dead Redemption 2 players to voice their feedback and ideas, which is pretty awesome. Stay tuned for any further updates from Rockstar regarding the beta version.