There were massive expectations that surroundedRed Dead Onlinearound the time ofRDR2’s launch in 2018, with many expecting Rockstar to repeat the same success that was found with the massively popularGrand Theft Auto Online. Despite the great reception ofRed Dead Redemption 2and the high potential behind the title’s multiplayer experiences, the life cycle ofRed Dead Onlinewas very short-lived, leaving a stain on the otherwise stellar reputation ofRDR2itself.
The future prospects forRed Dead Onlineappear to be quite slim, being a far cry from the continued support and popularity of itsGrand Theft Autocounterpart, which recently received a high-profile enhanced version for PC players. The enhanced version ofGrand Theft Auto Onlinebrings the title up to speed across all platforms while introducing some freely available fresh content to players, and there is a great case forRed Dead Onlineto receive its own enhanced release in the near future.
It was always a seemingly difficult task forRockstar to pushRed Dead Onlinetowards the same dizzying heights asGTA Online, withRDR2’s more grounded Old West setting being less conducive to the kind of wild and wacky weapons, heists, vehicles, and enterprises that have played a massive role inGTA Online’s post-launch life. Despite this,Red Dead Onlinestill largely followed the same formula as itsGTAcounterpart, with both online experiences eventually being released as standalone titles away from the base games ofGTA 5andRDR2.
However,Red Dead Onlinefaced an uncharacteristically short period of post-launch support, with Rockstar confirming that no more major updates would be released for the title back in 2022. This sad roadblock inRDO’s post-launch life understandably turned many fans away from the game, and, while the title’s player base is no longer what it once was, an enhanced version ofRed Dead Onlinecould still be a well-received project.
While official updates toRed Dead Onlinehave stopped since 2022, seasonal post-launch content is still released for the game, with a lot of these new additions either being recycled or community-made.
The recently-launched enhanced version ofGTA Onlinewas released for PC players on March 4, with the port giving PC fans the same heightened graphical, performance, and audio settings as the current-gen Xbox and PlayStation versions of the game. Although players have reported some issues in terms of how the enhanced version can cause issues with things like in-game music, the free upgrade also comes with the extra content of Hao’s Special Works, offering a good blueprint for what an enhanced port ofRed Dead Onlinecould involve.
LikeGTA Online, the PC community ofRed Dead Onlineis still fairly vibrantthanks to the platform’s affinity for role-playing servers, meaning the demand for an enhanced PC port ofRed Dead Onlineis still very much present. The more methodical and immersive gameplay ofRed Deadis also the perfect match for enhanced audio, graphical, and performance features, with the added bonus of freely available DLC being a great way to reward fans who have not received major official updates for the game in almost three years.
Of course, withRockstar’s attention firmly onGrand Theft Auto 6for the foreseeable future, further developments for theRed Deadfranchise sadly seem few and far between as things stand. With that being said, an enhanced port ofRed Dead Onlinecould be a fun way for Rockstar to create a buzz around the series while still realistically managing the run-up toGTA 6, with the aims and offerings ofGTA Online’s enhanced mode seemingly translating quite well to the neglected Old West multiplayer project.
