Here's When You Can Start Playing Red Dead Redemption 2's Online Component

The release for Red Dead Redemption 2 is fast approaching, and the hype is ramping up rather quickly. It wasn't too long ago that everyone was still talking about the latest gameplay trailer that Rockstar released for the open-world Western title a few weeks ago, but now people are looking forward to the next big reveal for the game, which centers around the multiplayer component. Most gamers knew that Rockstar would implement a multiplayer mode into Red Dead Redemption 2, since the original Red Dead Redemption had one, but no one knew what it would be like or when it would arrive... until now.

Over on IGN there's an interview that the outlet had with Rockstar North's Josh Needleman and Imran Sarwar, where it was revealed that the multiplayer mode for Red Dead Redemption 2 would launch in November 2018 for the Xbox One and PS4.

The multiplayer for the third-person shooter will be free to access for anyone who already owns a copy of Red Dead Redemption 2. According to IGN the initial launch will be a public beta, and from there the company will slowly tack on more content following the multiplayer going live.

Rockstar explained that the development of the multiplayer mode(s) in the open-world game set at the turn of the century would slowly roll into focus, likening the development roadmap to the way GTA V branched off into GTA Online and began to develop from there.

The developers also have plans on supporting both the single-player and multiplayer, noting that it's usually the story-driven single-player experiences that really lure gamers in but the multiplayer is what keeps them coming back for more.

I'm sure some fans may be leery about Rockstar's claims about the single-player support given that GTA V didn't receive any single-player DLC, unlike the original Red Dead Redemption and GTA IV, both of which had post-launch expansion packs. In the case of GTA IV, many even felt that the Ballad of Gay Tony was actually a better and more engaging story than the original GTA IV arc featuring Niko Bellic.

In any case, the multiplayer modes for Red Dead Redemption 2 have not been outlined. We don't exactly know what sort of modes will be present, only that there will be different activities and features for players to indulge in, very much like the 2010 outing for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

What we do know is that many of the core functions and mechanics from the single-player mode will carry over into the multiplayer mode. This includes hunting, riding horses, collecting weapons, and carrying out robberies.

According to Rockstar Games the online mode will be updated along with GTA Online, but both games will have scattered updates to keep communities in both games appeased.

While pricing and in-app purchases weren't discussed, expect Rockstar to lay out how all of that will work closer to its launch in November. GTA Online uses the Shark Cards so players can use real money to purchase in-game cash, and it will likely be set up similar in Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode.