With a huge update, the online mode of Red Dead Redemption 2 finally takes off after several months in beta. Players are excited about the new content they can expect now and in the future.
What’s new in Red Dead Online? On Tuesday, May 14th, the beta of Red Dead Online came to an end. This is the online mode of Red Dead Redemption 2, which entered beta testing on November 27, 2018.
With a big update that brings a lot of content that fans wanted, the online mode has now launched. Now you can even play poker online and wear ponchos.
What has changed in the beta of Red Dead Online? Since the start of the testing phase, many new game modes have been integrated. So anyone who just checked it out at the start and played for a few hours will now notice significant changes in the online world.
Because even with the update on May 14th, quite a bit has changed. The economy was adjusted so that you now receive double the amount of money in almost all activities. Making money in Red Dead Online was often a point of criticism during the beta.
Problematic in the beta were mainly aggressive players who took away the fun from more peaceful players. Rockstar took strong action against this. Those who were put off by other players might find their fun again in the online mode.
Moreover, many players felt there was too little PvE content. However, Red Dead Online has addressed this and seemingly gotten it under control.
The following activities await you now in the online world:
- An offensive and defensive play style
- Customizing skills and attributes
- Forming squads or joining others
- Missions, also for co-op players
- Playing poker
- Fighting against enemy gangs
- Hunting
- Fishing
- Squad challenges with mini-games like fishing competitions
- Treasure hunts
- Daily challenges with cash rewards
- Many new weapons unlocked through regular updates
How to deal with aggressive players
Here’s the problem: At the beginning of the beta, aggressive players were a problem in Red Dead Online. Those who simply wanted to enjoy the beautiful world peacefully were at risk of being killed repeatedly by griefers. This took away the fun for many players. Rockstar introduced a hostility system to address this.
This is the reaction: The hostility system analyzes the behavior of players. If they act dishonorably, the system imposes penalties.
Based on the player markings on the map, you can see how hostile another player is. Dark blue indicates the lowest level, posing no threat. A bright red indicates that the player is particularly aggressive. The more hostile a player is, the larger the radius within which they can be seen by other players.
- Hostility increases when you tie up, lasso, or kill players
- Killing a player who is in defensive mode incurs an additional penalty
- Hostility decreases if you refrain from hostile actions for a long time
Your play styles – Offensive and Defensive
Why are there play styles? Fans have been demanding an option to remain passive in the online world of Red Dead Redemption 2 for a long time. They wanted something like the passive mode from GTA Online. Now there’s something similar for Red Dead Online.
Offensive play style: This is what you have known since the start of the beta. You play as in a traditional free-roam game, without special protection against opponents and other players.
Defensive play style: If players choose this play style, they will be marked by a shield icon. This indicates that you are playing as a peaceful player.
The mode has the advantage of providing protection for you. You cannot be lassoed or tied up by opposing players. Automatic targeting does not work on opponents in defensive mode.
However, they cannot use the feature themselves. They can manually aim and be targeted by other players through manual aiming, but they cannot deal or receive critical hits.
This defensive play style is especially suitable for players who just want to explore the world, hunt, fish, ride, or go treasure hunting.
New content coming soon – RPG System
In the near future, Rockstar Games has planned further content that aims to advance the online mode. This will take place with a role system.
You will then choose roles like trader, bounty hunter, or collector. Various activities will then be associated with these roles, which will further define your online character. We have summarized the upcoming changes for you here.
Who is Red Dead Online worth it for now?
Players who haven’t checked in for months: If you haven’t set foot in the online world of Red Dead Redemption 2 for a while, you should do so again. There are many new activities aimed at PvP and PvE players. In game modes on various themes like battle royale or races, you compete against other players.
If you prefer a quieter experience, you can participate in fishing competitions or complete PvE missions.
Players who were active until recently: For you, the update on May 14th unlocked many important things. It also focused on balance. The reactions to the patch are particularly positive, which could be a reason for you to check back into the game.
What players say about the update
In the community on Reddit, the update is well received.
- “This looks promising. Working as a bounty hunter, collector, or trader in the future will be very interesting. And finally, poker is in the game,” writes general_kenobi99
- “This looks like a really good update, everything seems fantastic,” writes Bfortmmforn. He only complains that weapons are drawn faster now
- “I just read poker and immediately started the game after 3 months,” says Sanguins
Furthermore, a balance change regarding headshots has been praised. The aim assist still targets the center of opponents’ bodies. However, it is no longer possible to just pull the right stick up briefly to land a headshot. Hitting heads is now more challenging.
User russiansnipa comments that this was exactly the reason for griefing in Red Dead Online and GTA Online. There was too little challenge in landing a headshot, which is why few killers hesitated.
“I’m honestly so happy that the RDO team really listens to our feedback. Many joked about the “beta” tag. But to be honest, it feels like the mode has significantly improved since launch.”
How do you like the changes in Red Dead Online? Are you checking back in now?
This player keeps a fun diary for Red Dead Online:
