'Red Dead Online' will enter beta testing this week and is free for anyone who owns 'Red Dead Redemption 2' on Xbox One or PlayStation 4.
- "Red Dead Redemption 2" came out on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 26, but players have been waiting since release to play "Red Dead Online," the game's free multiplayer mode.
- Rockstar Games originally said "Red Dead Online" would enter public beta in mid-November and has told players to expect some growing pains early on.
- Players will be able to explore the world of "Red Dead Online" alone or with friends. It's expected to offer a mix of storytelling, competitive, and cooperative gameplay.
- Rockstar plans to support "Red Dead Online" with constant updates and adjustments. Healthy ongoing support for "Grand Theft Auto Online" has helped Rockstar sell more than 100 million copies of "Grand Theft Auto V" since 2013.
Rockstar Games' "Red Dead Redemption 2" was one of the year's most anticipated games, releasing on October 26th to plenty of fanfare. But a major portion of the game has been missing for the past month, the online multiplayer mode, "Red Dead Online."
In September, Rockstar revealed that "Red Dead Online" wouldn't be ready on release and would enter beta testing in November. Rockstar developers have said they consider "Red Dead Online" and "Red Dead Redemption 2" to be two different games, though "Red Dead Online" is free for anyone who buys the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One versions of "Red Dead Redemption 2." Now, with just a few days left in November, Rockstar is keeping true to its word and rolling out the online beta for all players this week.
Here's the breakdown on when you'll be able to play the beta:
- Those who bought the ultimate edition of "Red Dead Redemption 2" will get first dibs on the "Red Dead Online" beta starting November 27th.
- Those who played "Red Dead Redemption 2" on release day, October 26th, will be allowed into the beta on Wednesday, November 28th.
- Anyone who played between October 26th and October 29th will be able to join "Red Dead Online" on Thursday, November 29th.
- On Friday November 30th, the "Red Dead Online" beta will be open to everyone who plays the game.
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According to Rockstar, "Red Dead Online" will feature both competitive and cooperative gameplay, but the company is warning fans to expect some growing pains. Players will be able to explore the open-world environment of "Red Dead Online" alone or with friends, and the online mode will have its own narrative storyline.
"As with most online experiences of this size and scale, there will inevitably be some turbulence at launch," Rockstar said in a September statement. "We look forward to working with our amazing and dedicated community to share ideas, help us fix teething problems and work with us to develop 'Red Dead Online' into something really fun and innovative."
Rockstar certainly has practice at building mega-popular online games; its ongoing support for "Grand Theft Auto Online" has helped sell more than 100 million copies of "Grand Theft Auto V" since September 2013.
The NPD Group reports that "Red Dead Redemption 2" is already the second-best selling game of 2018, with just nine days of reported sales after release. The game also managed to triple the launch sales of its predecessor, "Red Dead Redemption." With the introduction of "Red Dead Online," the game will have laid plenty of foundation for a healthy multiplayer community.