There were massive expectations that surrounded Red Dead Online around the time of RDR2‘s launch in 2018, with many expecting Rockstar to repeat the same success that was found with the massively popular Grand Theft Auto Online. Despite the great reception of Red Dead Redemption 2 and the high potential behind the title’s multiplayer experiences, the life cycle of Red Dead Online was very short-lived, leaving a stain on the otherwise stellar reputation of RDR2 itself.
The future prospects for Red Dead Online appear to be quite slim, being a far cry from the continued support and popularity of its Grand Theft Auto counterpart, which recently received a high-profile enhanced version for PC players. The enhanced version of Grand Theft Auto Online brings the title up to speed across all platforms while introducing some freely available fresh content to players, and there is a great case for Red Dead Online to receive its own enhanced release in the near future.
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An Enhanced Version of Red Dead Online Could Be a Great Way To Boost the Longevity of the Title
It was always a seemingly difficult task for Rockstar to push Red Dead Online towards the same dizzying heights as GTA Online, with RDR2‘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 in GTA Online‘s post-launch life. Despite this, Red Dead Online still largely followed the same formula as its GTA counterpart, with both online experiences eventually being released as standalone titles away from the base games of GTA 5 and RDR2.
However, Red Dead Online faced 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 in RDO‘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 of Red Dead Online could still be a well-received project.
While official updates to Red Dead Online have 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 of GTA Online was 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 of Red Dead Online could involve.
Red Dead Online Deserves Another Chance Before GTA 6 Launches
Like GTA Online, the PC community of Red Dead Online is still fairly vibrant thanks to the platform’s affinity for role-playing servers, meaning the demand for an enhanced PC port of Red Dead Online is still very much present. The more methodical and immersive gameplay of Red Dead is 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, with Rockstar’s attention firmly on Grand Theft Auto 6 for the foreseeable future, further developments for the Red Dead franchise sadly seem few and far between as things stand. With that being said, an enhanced port of Red Dead Online could be a fun way for Rockstar to create a buzz around the series while still realistically managing the run-up to GTA 6, with the aims and offerings of GTA Online‘s enhanced mode seemingly translating quite well to the neglected Old West multiplayer project.
- Released
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May 14, 2019
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs and Alcohol