Rockstar has told fans not to expect more major updates for Red Dead Online, as it continues to shift development resources to Grand Theft Auto 6.
It’s bad news for Red Dead Online players, who have long complained that Rockstar doesn’t care about it and has overlooked it compared to the more lucrative GTA Online.
Now, Rockstar has outlined its plan to keep Red Dead Online in vital support and has acknowledged its greater focus on GTA6.
Ian examines a VR mod of Red Dead Redemption 2.
“Over the past few years, we’ve been constantly moving more development resources toward the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, understanding more than ever the need to exceed player expectations and make this next entry the best it can be.” Rockstar wrote, “and as a result, we’re in the process of making some changes in how we support Red Dead Online.”
These changes will mean there will be no more “major thematic content updates as in previous years,” Rockstar acknowledged.
Instead, Red Dead Online players should expect events that highlight existing content, as well as “special seasonal events and experience enhancements.” This year will also see some new Telegram missions.
Earlier this week, Red Dead Online fans announced plans to hold an in-game funeral for the live service, to mark what they suggested was “a year of [the game] being abandoned “.
Reacting to Rockstar’s announcement, the prominent Twitter account run by Red Dead News fans wrote that “Rockstar’s management of Red Dead Online has been a series of failures, since the failed implementation of a premium currency and content passes, to game-breaking bugs that still exist and a total lack of protection for PC gamers against modders.
“This is without mentioning the deceptive content promises and lack of communication outside of these,” the account continued. “Today’s announcement is news that Rockstar could have shared in February after the ‘upcoming’ GTA announcement, why make fans wait? It’s a bad way.”
Rockstar acknowledged that GTA 6 was in “active development” and “well underway” in February this year, following a previous Bloomberg report suggesting the game would not be released until 2024 at the earliest.