Image: Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games likes to work on GTA
In a blog post, the publisher announces that Grand Theft Auto Online is alive and kicking and currently has more players than ever before due to the new adaptation for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S – quite remarkable, given that the title is now almost a decade old. Rockstar Games will continue to bring new content to GTA V's multiplayer, including gameplay updates as well as some player-requested features. In a few weeks, there will be a new update about criminal careers for executives and owners of biker gangs and nightclubs; there should also be numerous balancing adjustments requested by players.
On the other hand, it is completely different with Red Dead Online, the multiplayer mode of Red Dead Redemption 2 (test). Over the last few years, more and more developers have been gradually withdrawn to work on GTA VI, it is said. Rockstar Games does not want to disappoint the high expectations of the title under any circumstances; the new Grand Theft Auto is said to be "as good as it gets". When the game will be released is still anyone's guess. However, a release in 2022 or 2023 should be ruled out.
Rockstar Games
Last update half a year after the standalone release
For Red Dead Online, this in turn means that there will be no more major updates with new content and gameplay and story expansions in the future. Instead, the work on the game will be reduced to a maintenance level, after all there should be regular events with older modes. The turnaround was already apparent, as the last major update Blood Money was released around a year ago in July 2021. The players and fans of the Western title are expectedly disappointed, but they also meet the end with gallows humor: In the game should be under the hashtag #RedDeadFuneral a funeral service to be held.
Red Dead Online was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2018; Red Dead Redemption 2 was available on PC from November 2019. Rockstar Games only released the multiplayer mode as a standalone in December 2020. The fact that a year and a half later no more major updates are to follow seems absurd, especially compared to nine years of new content for GTA Online.
GTA is a sales driver
However, the presumed rationale is obvious: Obviously, the financial success of a brand directs Rockstar Games' priorities. Red Dead Redemption cannot compete with Grand Theft Auto in this respect – and that is now becoming the nail in the coffin. In this context, it seems appropriate that a remaster version of the first Red Dead Redemption was dropped in favor of GTA VI.
