Red Dead Online Series - Your Adventure Awaits! EP-11
Red Dead Online co-crafted by talents like Rob Nelson and Imran Sarwar, released on multiple platforms, blending action-adventure with multiplayer allure
Post-release reception
Come March 2019, Red Dead Online seemed promising to PlayStation Official Magazine – UK's Dave Meikleham, despite some imbalances in deathmatches. OXM's Chris Burke, on the other hand, expressed a desire for more solo missions. Eurogamer's Jordan Oloman appreciated improvements by May 2019, especially in the quality of story missions, though he felt players needed a clearer sense of purpose in the world. The September 2019 Frontier Pursuits update made the game enjoyable for Oloman, even preferring it over the single-player experience. Polygon's Cass Marshall praised the update for adding elements that enhanced the game's fun when played with friends.
Moving on to the December 2019 Moonshiners update, both Eurogamer's Oloman and Kotaku's Zack Zwiezen considered it the best to date, lauding the compelling new characters and abundant content. Despite identifying significant glitches in January 2020, Edge acknowledged that when the game worked, it provided an absorbing RPG experience in a stunning sandbox.
In May 2020, some employees used the game for online business meetings, citing the world's immersion as a key feature. However, technical issues and a lengthy tutorial were criticized for new players. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, some players sought refuge in the game, with groups like the Rift Trails, hosting daily rides, growing to over 2,500 members by 2022. In July 2020, players dressed as clowns to express displeasure at the lack of updates. Kotaku's Zwiezen found The Naturalist update a step back, though it made him appreciate nature and details. Polygon's Marshall considered it "perfectly fine" but noted it didn't make the game feel significantly different, unlike varied Grand Theft Auto Online updates. Oloman, writing for NME, felt the update contradicted the ruthless nature of the game, with tasks becoming repetitive. PC Gamer's Christopher Livingston described it as "surprisingly disappointing," likening it to the trader role. Following an August 2020 patch, players reported game-breaking glitches, prompting Rockstar to revert the game to a previous version.
