Red Dead Online’s beta period will begin in a limited capacity tomorrow, November 27, before becoming available to all players on Friday, November 30.
Rockstar has announced that the beta will be released in stages, adding more and more players throughout the week:
- Tuesday, November 27: All Red Dead Redemption 2: Ultimate Edition owners.
- Wednesday, November 28: All players who played Red Dead Redemption 2 on October 26th according to our data.
- Thursday, November 29: All players who played Red Dead Redemption 2 between October 26th to October 29th according to our data.
- Friday, November 30: All players who own Red Dead Redemption 2.
You’ll be able to access the beta from the title screen. If you’re in the earliest stage, access will begin from 5:30am PT / 8:30am ET / 1:30pm UK / 12:30am AET (November 28th).
Rockstar makes clear that this beta period is for testing, rather than a demo, saying that it will help “deal with the inevitable turbulence of launching any online experience of this size and scale.” It also asks the community to “report and fix problems, share ideas, and assist in shaping the future of the full Online experience.”
As for what Red Dead Online will actually be, that mystery is ongoing, but Rockstar offers a couple of new details. Players will create and customise their own character, and can tailor their abilities. You can play solo, but can also form or join Posses that allow for up to seven players in a group. Posses will seemingly also own their own camps.
As for what you’ll get up to, Rockstar says players can, “head out hunting or fishing; visit bustling towns; battle enemy gangs and attack their hideouts; hunt for treasure; take on missions and interact with familiar characters from across the five states; or fight against other outlaws in both spontaneous skirmishes and pitched set-piece battles; compete with other players or whole Posses in open world challenges and much more.”
We’ve learned previously that the game’s online component will build on Red Dead Redemption’s multiplayer mode, and will utilise the entire map. But there’s lots we still don’t know – here’s what we’re hoping for.
