Red Dead Online: everything you need to know about Rockstar’s multiplayer Wild West

The world of Red Dead Online is getting a bit safer. Today Rockstar announced the next update for the game, which is focused primarily on reducing griefing, a problem that has plagued the online game since its debut late last year.

The update will include a handful of changes, the combination of which should make for an overall more pleasant experience. One of the biggest changes comes down to player visibility. Now, you’ll only be able to see other players if they’re within 150 meters of you, which should make it tougher for griefers to hunt down and annoy specific players. Similarly, those whom the game deems “overly aggressive players” will have their position revealed to everyone, and the map marker will change color to coincide with bad behavior; the worse you are, the darker red it turns. If you clean up your act, things will eventually go back to normal.

The joys of Red Dead Redemption 2’s open world are in its details. You must eat, you must bathe, you must shave, you must clean your guns. Minor characters all have elaborate routines, suggestions of a life beyond the player. Even background scenery demands attention. This onerous devotion to a rewarding cowboy fantasy birthed a culture that expects that developers Rockstar Games have accounted for nearly anything the player might do within its digital borders. Red Dead also takes place in 1899 — three years after the Supreme Court legalized racial segregation, midway through the presidency of a man who fought in the Civil War — which means, for some fans, era-specific racism becomes a part of the experience.

To play Red Dead Redemption 2 is to test the boundaries of what is possible within its elaborate simulation. One YouTuber in particular, Shirrako, has a channel full of taboo situations that he concocts for the viewing pleasure of his audience (like feeding an in-game feminist to a virtual alligator). But by far, his most popular video is “What Happens If You Bring Black Man To KKK?”, a three-minute Red Dead Redemption 2 clip that has been viewed over 8 million times. As it turns out, nothing happens.

When Red Dead Online launched in November, it included a mode that was a refreshing take on the now-ubiquitous battle royale format. Called “make it count,” it had players fighting to be the last one standing, with only knives and bows at their disposal. It was wonderfully tense and slow, but if you’re looking for a more traditional battle royale match, the game’s latest mode sounds a lot like Fortnite and PUBG, but on a smaller scale.

Included in today’s Red Dead Online update is a mode called “gun rush,” which sounds very familiar. “You’ll put your survival instincts to the test, gathering weapons and ammunition while the play area shrinks in this new mode for up to 32 players,” developer Rockstar explains. Given the popularity of Fortnite, it’s no real surprise to see other developers exploring the space, though it is interesting to see Rockstar offer multiple variants of the format.

The explosive popularity of Fortnite and PUBG means that battle royale has become a genre in of itself. This year, some of the biggest names in gaming have adopted battle royale, ranging from Call of Duty’s fast-paced battles to Supercell’s mobile-friendly Brawl Stars. Now, Rockstar is getting in on the action with Red Dead Online, the multiplayer spinoff for Red Dead Redemption 2.

While the main appeal for Red Dead Online is its story-driven “free roam” mode, it also offers a number of competitive options, including a BR-style mode called “make it count.” It may have been inspired by the battle royale blockbusters, but it offers something very different. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the complex nature of Fortnite, Red Dead Online offers something simpler, slower, and a lot more tense.

During the earliest moments of Red Dead Online, the multiplayer spinoff of Red Dead Redemption 2, you could almost mistake it for a traditional single-player experience. It has all of the series’ hallmarks: tense shootouts; long, quiet rides on horseback; lengthy, well-acted cutscenes; and an open-ended nature that gives a real sense of freedom out in the frontier. You can sit down by a fire and drink some coffee, or you can go hunting for deer in the woods. It’s up to you.

But that feeling doesn’t last forever. There’s a good chance that while you’re enjoying one those nice contemplative moments, or even doing something simple like checking your map, another player is sneaking up behind you for the kill. Red Dead Online feels just like Red Dead Redemption 2 right up until you have to deal with other players.

Almost exactly a month after Red Dead Redemption 2 launched, developer Rockstar has announced that the game’s online mode will start rolling out this week. The beta for Red Dead Online will actually be available tomorrow for some users, as Rockstar is staggering the launch, likely to avoid the server issues that plagued GTA Online when it debuted several years ago.

Those who purchased the “ultimate edition” of the game will have access to the Red Dead Online beta starting on Tuesday, November 27th, and on Wednesday, it will open up to anyone who played Red Dead Redemption 2 when it launched on October 26th. On Thursday, anyone who played the game between October 26th and 29th can access the beta, and it will finally open up to everyone on Friday, November 30th. The online spinoff is free for anyone who owns the base game on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.