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In case you haven't pre-ordered Red Dead Redemption 2 and are waiting on reviews to make your decision, you'll have to wait until just a day before release. Metacritic has confirmed that Red Dead Redemption 2 reviews will start being posted on Thursday, October 25th at 4:01 AM Pacific time. Publishers set review embargos on their video games based on a number of factors and major publications generally never break them. Not unless they want to risk being blacklisted and never getting review copies from that publisher again. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4/XONE): https://t.co/OGdzvWX9tz Reviews will start going up on Thursday, October 25 at 4:01am Pacific. Any Metascore predictions for this HIGHLY anticipated title? pic.twitter.com/RUIBXk7ood — metacritic (@metacritic) October 16, 2018 There are some superstitions about embargo dates, with a general assumption being that the closer to release date they are lifted the less confident the publisher is in the game. Some titles have reviews go up a week before release, maybe even more, though that is rare. A couple of days before is common. A day before is also fairly frequent but some take it as a bad sign. If a game's review embargo is lifted upon launch, or even after it (this has happened on occasion) it might mean the publisher knows something is wrong and they want to avoid canceled pre-orders. In practical terms, these theories rarely hold true. Keeping in mind that publishers also have their own unique rules or preferences, even a game that the creators are highly confident about might have reviews embargoed until the last minute. Knowing Rockstar and their secretive nature, the embargo simply seeks to maintain an air of mystery around the game that has been present since its announcement. It's also a way of keeping spoilers from being, well, spoiled. Red Dead Redemption retains a particularly high Metacritic score of 95 and many fans expect Red Dead Redemption 2 to outperform it in terms of critical reception. In recent years, Metacritic has drawn some criticism in its skewed representation of public opinion, with some development companies controversially adopting it as an unofficial means to gauge the success of their employee's work. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released next Friday, October 26. You can watch the launch trailer here. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Reviews Coming Thursday 25th appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Rockstar has revealed on Twitter when fans can expect to watch the game's launch trailer, and when pre-loading will become available for those who have pre-ordered the game. It has become customary for AAA titles to release their "launch" trailers well before launch itself, and as install sizes become more and more bloated, pre-loading has become the norm. According to the tweet, Rockstar will publish the Red Dead Redemption 2 launch trailer tomorrow, Thursday October 18, at their usual time of 10 AM EST. Previous trailers for the game have also been published at 10 AM EST, which is either the dev team's lucky hour, or statistically the best time to publish content for audience reach. Probably the latter. The Red Dead Redemption 2 Launch Trailer Debuting tomorrow, Thursday October 18 at 10AM ET Pre-order now on digital and begin pre-loading this Friday at 12AM ET: https://t.co/dvyUu5JJSO pic.twitter.com/76FjGrLwUr — Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) October 17, 2018 Launch trailers are generally vehicles for hype more than information, so you shouldn't expect many last-minute revelations from the footage. We'll likely get some disjointed cutscene shots, vast sweeping vistas showing off the beautiful game world and a series of cool sounding one-liners from various characters without giving away any story details. Rockstar has also revealed when the game will be available for pre-load. Pre-loading is a crutch for people with PS4 consoles slow internet connections, allowing them to being downloading the game files well before release so that they can actually be there to enjoy the game day one. Pre-loading allows for the installation of most game files, with a significantly smaller final download on launch day completing the game and making it playable. Sometimes pre-loads install the whole game, but first-time play requires an internet date-check. Pre-loading will begin on this Friday, the 19th of October, at 12 AM EST. Starting from then, you'll be able to begin installing Red Dead Redemption 2 as long as you've pre-ordered the game digitally. Physical pre-orders haven't begun to ship yet, but reports indicate that these copies will include two discs, hopefully meaning that most, if not all of the game is on them. A troubling trend among AAA releases recently sees only fractions of the game being present on disks forcing large day one downloads even for buyers of retail versions. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on the 26th of October, next Friday. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Launch Trailer & Pre-Load Coming Soon appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

The Houser brothers who head Rockstar Games have been known for their reclusive nature, preferring to stay out of the spotlight. However, with the impending release of the Red Dead Redemption 2, Vulture secured an interview with Dan Houser who revealed a few new details about the upcoming title. We now know more about the length of the story and some new details about it, as well as insight into development. The tale of Red Dead Redemption 2 begins in 2011 - of the game, mind, not the in-game events, those are set in 1899. Right off the tail of Red Dead Redemption's successful 2010 launch, talks for a sequel were already abuzz at Rockstar. Preliminary development was underway in 2012, and both Rockstar San Diego and Rockstar North have been working on it ever since. The result? A main story script of over 2000 pages, 2200 days of motion capture work, with 1200 actors of whom 700 provided dialogue, 300,000 animations, 500,000 lines and even more lines of code. We learn that in order to play through the main storyline alone - not at a speedrunner's pace of course - you'll need to spend approximately 60 hours of playtime. Allegedly it was 5 hours longer, but superfluous content was cut. Add to that all the side activities and exploration to be done and you're looking at well over 100 hours of playtime, easy. The interview also revealed some new story details, including a rather detailed description of the opening moments of the game. While these are quite literally the very first scenes you will see when starting it up, speaking of them wouldn't be too spoiler-y, but we'd leave it up to you if you want to read about them in the original interview. Other details can be found in the interview regarding Morgan, other members of the gang and the various relationships between said characters, so if you want to experience Red Dead Redemption 2 blind, we'd suggest against reading it in full. What isn't spoilery however is discussing the content that has been cut from the game, since you won't experience it anyway. Houser only provided a couple of examples, but they do give us a general idea of what the editing room floor looked like after the game went gold. A mission where the player had to deal with bounty hunters on a train, a number of missions were cut due to technical reasons, and one of Arthur Morgan's love interests was written out of the game entirely. Music is a huge part of Red Dead Redemption 2, with the soundtrack being instrumental (ha) in setting the tone and atmosphere of the game. There are a total of 192 dynamic tracks in the game that adjust themselves to the action taking place on screen to best fit the situation you are in. The interview has already made the rounds online, but not for the reason Rockstar might've liked. A seemingly throwaway comment about the team working "100 hours weeks" created some controversy - granted, well deserved. The issue of crunch in AAA development, which leaves employees emotionally drained and increasingly often physically sick has been discussed for years now, with executives blocking unionization attempts. A toxic notion of employees having to be "grateful for even being allowed to work in the video game industry" because there is an endless supply of "people who'd replace them without a thought" allow major corporations to wantonly disregard the wellbeing of their workers. Houser later clarified that only the writing team - himself included - worked 100 hour weeks, and only a couple of times. Neither claim can be corroborated. Houser also dropped a nonchalant possible sequel tease. "If this one does well enough and we think we have other interesting things to say." - Dan Houser, on future Red Dead games. Of course, "if this one does well enough" is the universal deciding factor - if it makes a bunch of money, why wouldn't Rockstar make more games in the IP. This isn't a confirmation, just stating that the team isn't turning away from Red Dead. However, the immediate future plans are focused on Red Dead Online, which will launch sometime after the singleplayer portion of the game. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released on the 26th of October, 2018. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Story To Be 60 Hours appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

As we draw near to the hotly anticipated release of Red Dead Redemption 2, more official info has started to appear online. Retailers, distributors and Rockstar are all putting out the necessary data required for launch, including data sheets and more marketing material. One such data sheet has revealed the install size of the game on Xbox One consoles. Red Dead Redemption 2's install size was once before allegedly revealed by box art seen on the PS4 bundles, however new evidence suggests a different number. The bundle's box indicated that players would need 105 GB of free space on their console in order to play Red Dead Redemption 2. The game's information sheet found on the Microsoft Store however indicates a smaller number - 88 GB. That install size is more sensible and more in line with most modern AAA games among which the larger, 105 GB install would have been a significant outlier. While the two numbers are sourced for the two platforms the game will be launched on, install sizes are usually almost the same on PS4 and Xbox One. They're certainly not that different. There could be several reasons for this discrepancy. It's possible that the Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 bundles had preliminary box art revealed, not the final print. It's possible that the actual install size of the game is 88 GB, and 105 GB is the recommended free space just to be sure and to accommodate possible early patches. Huge day-one patches aren't rare in AAA games. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 launched with players having to download a 50 GB day-one patch right out the door! Considering the impressive breadth and depth of content in Red Dead Redemption 2, such a large install size isn't surprising. Later on, Red Dead Online will launch alongside it further increasing the storage requirements, and let's not forget that the multiplayer mode is set to receive a steady stream of content updates that will just pile on and on. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Xbox One File Size Revealed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Today Rockstar provided us with an extensive look at the weapons in the game. Touching upon weapon types, customization and upgrading, we now have a definitive view on how these systems will work prior to launch. The post doesn't spill all the beans, but it does give us a taste of what kind of guns we can expect to shoot and get shot by. The game will feature a total of 50 unique weapons, which you can further differentiate with extensive customization and upgrade options. Some weapons return from Red Dead Redemption, like the classic Cattleman Revolver, while others are entirely new to the prequel. Named outright in the reveal are the aforementioned Cattleman, the Volcanic Pistol, the Springfield Rifle, the Sawed-Off Shotgun, the Litchfield Repeater, the Bolt-Action Rifle, the Carbine Repeater and the Pump-Action Shotgun. That leaves 42 weapons we don't yet know about, though we're sure some pop up in trailer footage. While 50 weapons is impressive on its own, what's even more impressive is the depth of the customization. Almost every major component of every gun can be individually customized, upgrades and swapped out. You can tweak the look of a gun with various metals, woods, engravings and even specific inlay-metals for those engravings. These don't affect the entire gun either - you can customize a gun so that every component is utterly different from the rest. This depth is maintained with upgrades as well. Each component can be either improved or outright replaced for improved performance. As you dig into the game's crafting system, you yourself can forge superior weapon components, but until then, you can purchase these upgrades. Each weapon is unique, and they react realistically and dynamically to use. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the more you use a gun the more adept Arthur will be with it, however, an oft-used weapon will start to wear down. If you don't maintain and clean your arsenal, even you most trusty gun can jam up on you. The gun itself isn't the only thing to pay attention to either. Various bullet types - many of which can be crafted - will yield different results in different situations. Some explode, some pierce armor, some are more effective against unarmored opponents and so on. You can also upgrade Arthur's holsters. Some holsters protect your weapons from dirt and wear, while others allow you to wield two one-handed guns at the same time. Ammo belt upgrades will also be available. Previously, Rockstar revealed a number of locations and animals in the game. With Red Dead Redemption 2 launching on the 26th of October, soon you'll be able to try out these weapons yourself. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Weapons Revealed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

As the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 draws near, the hype that has been building for nerly two years now is just about set to boil over. With just two weeks to go, Rockstar has started being more open with new information, we're getting new gameplay details, previews have uncovered even further specifics such as one particularly interesting tidbit about the map, and every now and then a leak springs in these final days. But how anticipated is Red Dead Redemption 2, really? Anticipation and other similar abstract metrics are difficult to quantify, but that's what analysts are here for - to attach numbers to things that have none. Mainly through surveys, Nielsen Holdings specializes in product popularity rankings, among other things, even before said products have launched. To give us an idea of where upcoming titles stand, surveys conducted throughout the year have ranked games with release dates between September and December 2018. These games were then given a score out of 100 - the higher the score, the more anticipated the game. Games were sorted into multiple categories based on availability. Red Dead Redemption 2 came second in the multi-platform category with 97/100. The only game ahead of it by 2 points is Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 with 99/100. Considering the far-reaching mainstream appeal of the series, which has been around longer than Red Dead and has put out significantly more games that Red Dead, this isn't surprising. Instead, the fact that RDR2 is just 2 points behind is a significant achievement for Rockstar's upcoming Western epic. Following Red Dead Redemption 2 are Battlefield V with 94/100, Fallout 76 with 92/100 and Assassin's Creed: Odyssey with 91/100. In the PS4 category, the recent Spider-Man exclusive unsurprisingly scored 100/100. Since Xbox One isn't strong in its exclusive games offering, the top ranking game - Forza Horizon 4 - only managed to score 84/100. On Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Mario Party tied for first place with 98/100. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released soon, so we'll see how that anticipation translates into sales. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Ranked Second Most Anticipated Holiday Game appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Half a month before launch, the entire trophy list for Red Dead Redemption 2 has been leaked online. The full list includes both story mode and Red Dead Online trophies, though spoilers aren't present since those trophies related to actual story events are hidden until unlocked. We can, however, learn a bit about what to expect from the gameplay of both modes. This also happens to prove that early copies of the game have indeed been leaked to the public. There are a total of 52 achievements. On PS4, from where the leak originates, trophies are colour coded based on rarity or difficulty. There is one platinum trophy, 3 gold trophies, 4 silver trophies and 44 bronze trophies. By default, 9 of these are hidden. Now let's take a look at what we learn from them, without spoilers: Some story missions are optional. Now, we've known that there is a great degree of player freedom in the game, and that there is a lot to do besides the main missions. However, so far the assumption was that you have your story missions, and your optional activities. Apparently, there is an overlap. Whether or not this just means the same kind of narrative-driven side activities like Strangers in Red Dead Redemption remains to be seen. They may be larger stories that, though fitting into the main plotline, are not central to it and thus optional. Doing or not doing them may even affect your stance with key NPCs. We do know however that these aren't a replacement for Strangers missions, because those are coming back in name as well. An achievement is awarded for completing 10 Strangers quest chains in story mode. There is also a separate achievement for completing one companion missions at each camping site, which sound like they would fit the bill of being optional story missions. There will also be companion item missions. Missions will have a kind of medal system, as evidenced by an achievement awarded for earning gold medals in a set number of missions. Another achievement confirms and reveals two mechanics. To earn it, you need to survive with a $250 bounty on your head for three in-game days. We've learned about a wanted system from gameplay videos already, and day/night systems in open world games these days are the norm making this not much of a surprise. We've known about the return of hunting in Red Dead Redemption 2 for a while now, so seeing an achievement related to skinning every known species isn't surprising. However, there seems to be a new system related to animals where you can study them. Vague as that is, we imagine when you fell an animal you can either skin it for goods and materials, or 'study' the corpse to, possibly, make you more adept at tracking them, or helping you pinpoint critical hit areas with Dead Eye Targeting. Regarding animals, fish will be individually weighed, with one achievement being unlocked upon catching a particularly heavy fish. This will likely also affect its value on the market. The weapon upgrade and customization system will also be extensive, with upgrading every component of a single weapon getting its own trophy. Moving on to Red Dead Online, these trophies are our first glimpse at the structure the game will have. A number of mission types have been revealed, including series, free-roam missions, free-roam events and some kind of PvP game mode. Replacing GTA Online's crews will be Posses, you'll be able to own multiple horses at the same time and earn golden belt buckles from missions. The Rank system makes a return, and you'll also be able to purchase various upgrades for your camp. Now, for the particularly curious among you who don't mind spoilers, the source for these leaks posted a full text list of the achievements that reveals the hidden trophies. We won't discuss those here, but if you want to check them out nonetheless, you can do so here. Again, these contain potential storyline spoilers. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released on the 26th of October. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Achievements Leaked appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

The DLC that fans playing Red Dead Redemption 2 on PlayStation 4 will initially get before their Xbox One counterparts has been revealed. Luckily - for the Xbox players that is - none of the content seems to be particularly substantial, at least for now. Sony and Rockstar recently disclosed that their partnership includes a timed exclusivity deal on certain DLC, so some future Red Dead Online content will have a similar delay. Turning to the content at hand, PS4 players will be given access to four items upon the game's launch that Xbox One players will need to wait 30 days to receive. There are no missions, activities or other gameplay content among them, only customization items. These are an outfit, a horse, a saddle and a weapon. The Grizzlies Outlaw Outfit is a set of clothing items well suited for mountain weather. Rugged and warm while still allowing unhindered motion, the outfit is a combination of a fur-lined leather coat, vest and boots that are styled to match the custom belt. Keep in mind that Red Dead Redemption 2's outfit system allows mixing and matching individual clothing items, so you can keep just the coat or boots and pick something else to go along with them. The Red Chestnut Arabian Horse is described to be in a class above wild horses. This likely means that the stats will be better than on horses you capture and tame yourself out in the open world, though we have yet to see how significant a gameplay impact this has. This horse is another example of the level of detail Rockstar is going for, as it features anatomical traits typical of Arabian breeds. While the outfit will be available upon game launch, this and the other items will only arrive alongside Red Dead Online. You'll also get a nice saddle to go with your horse - an Alligator Skin Ranch Cutter Saddle to be precise. This alligator saddle is an upgraded version of the default saddle, and provides players with health and stamina bonuses allowing the horse to keep up a dash for longer and at higher speeds. Finally, there is the High Roller Double-Action Revolver. The weapon has a ridiculously detailed engraving as well as customization on a number of its components that actually make sense in the context of the engineering these guns had at the time. While these items don't affect gameplay in any great capacity, they sure do champion Rockstar's attention to detail. The fact that the horse, saddle and gun are only coming when Red Dead Online is released leads us to suspect they may not even be available in story mode at all, much like how GTA Online DLC isn't accessible in the game's single player mode either. We'll be a tad disappointed if this is the case, but it wouldn't be a surprise. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be releasing on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on the 26th of October. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Early Access Items Revealed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

With every major game release that doesn't have some kind of mandatory online date verification, it is inevitable that a couple of copies get out early. However, none have gotten out quite as early as Red Dead Redemption 2 - as some new "rumors" would have you believe. A couple of photos circulating online suggest that one or more lucky fans are already playing the game. But are these images legitimate? The news was first reported by Gearnuke, and no publication has offered a first-hand account of this since - everyone is quoting them. The fact that this rumor only has the one source is an immediate red flag. Secondly, the photos aren't even in-game, but PlayStation menu shots showing previous play sessions for the game. Such images are, of course, infinitely easier to fake than something like an in-game menu, or a screenshot of gameplay that Rockstar hasn't released yet. If you actually have a leaked copy of this hugely anticipated game and you're willing to post images of it, wouldn't you be more flashy about it? Other things don't add up either - it can't be from a review copy, since Rockstar doesn't send out copies of their games, but instead holds review events. It almost certainly isn't a developer, since they'd be playing with their jobs with nothing to gain. Red Dead Redemption 2 doesn't have any early access schemes, unlike some other games that offer certain pre-orders access to the game sooner. If this is a copy that got out from a retailer before the street date, that retailer will be looking at a lot of flak. We're almost a month away from launch making this one of the most brazen violations of street date if it is that at all. Additionally, Red Dead Redemption 2 almost certainly has a date-lock as many retailers ship physical pre-orders a day or two before street date. The images shared indicate that the system used is in online mode, which would lock out the game. However, on the very slight off-chance that this is legit and someone who isn't a dev or a journalist has already played the game, you should be very careful here on out with information related to Red Dead Redemption 2, since spoilers might begin to circulate. As highly anticipated a game as this is, people in possession of such spoilers will be keen to share. If you want strictly spoiler-free coverage of Red Dead Redemption 2 news leading upto and following release on the 26th of October, stick to our site, as we won't be publishing any such spoilers. The post Beware Fake News: RDR2 Copies Have Not Leaked To The Public appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Many of us were hoping for this and recently some signs pointed towards it being reality. However we now know for certain that the entire map from Red Dead Redemption, including all locations visited in the 2010 game, will be included in the map of Red Dead Redemption 2. Rockstar recently revealed a number of locations that will appear in the upcoming game that also lined up with a long-leaked map. The map also featured the whole Red Dead Redemption area, with the new parts of the map stretching northward and eastward, and now we've received confirmation that this aspect of the leaked map is true as well. A Dutch gaming publication that took part in Rockstar's preview event and played two hours of Red Dead Redemption 2 at the development studio held a Q&A on their website. One of the questions posted by a fan asked whether Armadillo and New Austin were in the game. The Answer? Yes, alongside every other place John Marston visited in 1911. Upon inquiring with Rockstar I was told that the full map of Red Dead Redemption is also in this game, but that of course many more areas have been added. The post goes on to explain that the locations also got a workover. Blackwater, for example, is significantly larger and more detailed than it was in Red Dead Redemption. While this is inconsistent in terms of canon - why would a city be larger in 1899 than it is in 1911 when the express themes of the franchise indicate development and increasing modernity - it makes sense from a design perspective. The now-confirmed leaked map.Technology has developed immensely since 2010 and the capabilities of the current-gen consoles allowed Rockstar to create a world with significantly fewer compromises than almost a decade ago. Many restrictions that were present during the development of Red Dead Redemption are no longer there, giving them the freedom to create something better. So why shouldn't they? Preview impressions from yet another wave are trickling in and we'll likely learn a few new details form them too as they get posted in the next two or so days. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Contains Whole RDR Map: Confirmed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

It's October, the month in which Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released. It's fitting then, that Rockstar chooses to release the new gameplay trailer today. Focusing on the various activities players will undertake as Arthur Morgan ranging from the nefarious like robbing a train to the mundane like shaving. Like last time, the new trailer revealed a lot more than what the voiceover addressed. In its quest to create what might be the most immersive and realistic open world in gaming yet, Rockstar has geared Red Dead Redemption 2 to be all about seamless dynamic progression. You happen upon things of interest, unique encounters and other situations organically as you explore. You might entirely miss a whole encounter and not know about it, since the game isn't holding your hand and directing you towards the content. You might bumble into a pack of guards when you least expect to, or discover a new quest while rummaging through a seemingly abandoned house. It isn't clear whether there will be accessibility options in the game allowing players to toggle in-game indicators if they wish, but Rockstar is pushing this angle of "blind" progression as the best way to play. Criminal activities aimed at getting rich quick fall into multiple categories, varying in danger and reward. You can stage major heists, rob trains or hold up coaches. You can even shake down the odd passerby, but don't expect a big payday if you do. You can hold up stores too, but don't expect a discount the next time you go there. Random houses can also be burglarized, however some residents may try to protect their property. A relatively new mechanic in games that we haven't seen often, even in titles where you're a criminal by default, is loan sharking. The trailer does not make it clear how this works, but likely you'll be able to give certain NPCs some amounts of cash and then later intimidate them into paying you back with interest. However, in Red Dead Redemption 2, you're not the only outlaw in the land. Other bandits also roam the open world, meaning if you go out to explore you might be the victim of a robbery too. What's more, the more notorious you are, the more lawmen and bounty hunters you'll attract who will want to bring you in dead or alive. Lawmen are more than just standard enemies who spawn nearby after your crime meter reaches a certain point. In Red Dead Redemption 2, they're more active and involved in the gameplay. Lawmen are present ambiently, and they will investigate crime scenes they come across. You can flip the coin too if you wish, and take on bounty hunting jobs where you track down and capture or kill other outlaws. This seems a touch counterproductive since Arthur and co are struggling against the spread of modernity and government oversight, which means the more outlaws there are the better it is for them. But since many gangs aren't on friendly terms, this is a great way to eliminate rivals without drawing the ire of the lawmen and get paid while you do it. The iconic dead eye aiming system is making a return from Red Dead Redemption, but with some changes. As you upgrade your dead eye skill, its effects will change. Initially, it won't allow you to auto-aim, but rather just slows down time Max Payne style. The next level is the target-painting auto-aim where you select certain enemies that Arthur will then automatically kill. Finally, dead eye will act as a sort of x-ray vision showing you critical hit locations on enemy bodies that you should aim for. Character customization is also expanded from the previous game. Instead of whole pre-set outfits to pick from, you can alter your appearance apparel by apparel, and even pick details like tucking your pants into your boots or letting them hang loose. Inns and saloons will have several options for food. Arthur's beard will grow dynamically as you spend time in the wilderness, and you can leave it as such, or style and shave it. Bathing is also present as an activity, and if you don't, you can expect to see NPC reactions change towards you. Additional side activities include herding cattle, playing cards, drinking, dancing, fishing, hunting, chopping firewood, playing various board games with your fellow gang members, going to a theatre, get in a bar fight, and challenge other gunslingers to duels. The game is filled with secret locations that will be hard to find, such as a room hidden behind a bookshelf as seen in the trailer, and random NPC encounters that offer their own little snippets of story. We've already learned of the full first-person mode available to players in the game, but this trailer also revealed a third camera mode: cinematic. Most effective when riding through the vast wilderness, you can take in the views from new angles at a greater distance from your character, showing you the huge and beautiful world Rockstar built for Red Dead Redemption 2. Unlike with the first gameplay trailer, this time there is no indication that another one is coming. Since the game is less than a month away, it wouldn't surprise us if Rockstar chose not to squeeze another gameplay trailer into this time and the only thing to look forward to before release is the launch trailer. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released on the 26th of October. The post Second Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay Video Released appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Recently Sony revealed their Red Dead Redemption 2 console bundles for the PlayStation 4. The announcements included high-res images of the boxes from multiple angles, which has allowed fans to learn some new details about the game. We now know the required storage space for the game's installation, as well as just what that timed-exclusivity business was all about, thanks to the back of the bundle box. The game will require a minimum storage space of 105 GB, which is massive - it will occupy more than one-fifth of your hard drive if you have the 500 GB version of the PS4. For comparison, GTA 5 was "just" 65 GB. This also makes Red Dead Redemption 2 the largest game released for this platform. More interesting however is clarification on what kind of timed exclusivity we're looking at. Rockstar and Sony have been vocal about their partnership pretty much ever since the game was announced but for a while we didn't have an idea of what that partnership is all about. We later learned that some content will temporarily be exclusive to PS4, but there was no clarification until now. Select Online DLC will be exclusive to the PlayStation 4 for a period of 30 days. This means that unlike in GTA Online where all platforms get all content simultaneously, there will be a whole month between certain content rollout on PS4 and Xbox One. Fans who prefer Microsoft's platform might end up being frustrated by this, as the risk of spoilers - provided there will be significant narrative content - increases. Plus they don't get to play the actual game content for 30 days! We also learned that the player count of Red Dead Online will be the same as it is in the Enhanced Edition of GTA Online. Capped at 32 players, we're guessing it will follow the model of its predecessor with 30 true slots for players and 2 reserved for spectators. The time until the game's release is rapidly decreasing as we are now officially less than a month away. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released on the 26th of October - but we're sure that you've got your calendars marked already. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Install Size, Timed Exclusivity Revealed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Once again Sony and Rockstar are touting a partnership between the two companies for Red Dead Redemption 2. Since the marketing to date has been reminding fans that PlayStation 4 will be the best platform on which to experience the game, Xbox One being the only alternative, it makes sense that a console bundle would pop up. And pop up it has. Sony has announced a trio of Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 bundles that will launch in tandem with the game, and are available for pre-order right now. Unfortunately, the bundles aren't particularly interesting in terms of content - all you get is a stock retail console and the game. That's it. No custom deco for the console like in the case of Spiderman. No special goodies in the form of memorabilia, no exclusive in-game content, nothing. You can pre-order the PS4 Pro bundle and the 1TB PS4 bundle wherever you reside, while the 500 GB PS4 bundle is exclusive to the UK which is... odd. This bundle seems like a huge wasted opportunity on Sony's part. Sure, Red Dead Redemption 2 isn't exclusive, but they have been stamping their logos on almost all the marketing material as is, and they partnered up with Take-Two to secure timed content exclusivity for the PlayStation 4. Why not capitalize on this and give fans a fancy console deco with a rugged red and black color scheme? It would sell like hotcakes for sure. That said, the bundle itself is a convenient way to secure both game and platform for fans of Red Dead who haven't yet gotten around to buying a current-gen console. If this is the game you're upgrading for, then this bundle offers a quick and easy way to do just that. The Red Dead Redemption 2 PlayStation 4 console bundles will be released on the 26th of October, 2018. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Bundles Revealed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

On the tail of the second wave of previews and the locations reveal, we now have an in-depth look at the wildlife and horse breeds of Red Dead Redemption 2. Hunting is back, so brushing up on your frontier fauna will pay off. Red Dead Redemption had its own, relatively large, selection of wildlife. It sported 38 distinct species which, at the time, was impressive. In comparison, Red Dead Redemption 2 boasts an ecosystem of around 200 distinct species. Rockstar's devs weren't joking when they said they'll make use of the stronger hardware in the current-gen consoles. While we don't have an account of all 200 species yet - you'll probably need to wait until release for that - a couple of the animals have been confirmed. Bears, wolves, condors, vultures, eagles deer, bison, pronghorn, salmon, carp, geese, possums, rodents, alligators, salamanders and of course horses are all among those animals represented in-game. In keeping with Rockstar's mission to make Red Dead Redemption 2 the most immersive and realistic game they can, the AI of these animals is highly complex. They will all act and behave as such animals would in the real world. Wolves will have pack dynamics and various smaller animals will use diversion tactics such as the tried-and-true "play dead" move. The ecosystem is also unique in the sense that it will continue to operate independently of player actions. The player isn't at the center of Red Dead Redemption 2's world - you're just part of it, and the other parts are happy to go on actively existing without you. Even if you don't hunt them, the animals will hunt each other in a realistic manner, and they'll also hunt you. Hunting and fishing will be major gameplay mechanics, providing you with crafting materials, consumables and sellable items. You can take your fish or prey back to the gang's camp, or sell it off in stores across the world. How you prepare what you catch is an entire mechanic in and of itself - skin and gut the game right on the spot or carry it whole? The method by which you fell the prey also affects its worth, as no merchant will pay you much for a carcass sprayed full of lead. When it comes to hunting, tracking your prey takes on a new dimension as, due to Rockstar's diligence in matters of realism, calling attention to yourself is easier with things like wind direction playing a part. Once you've lined up a shot, be it with gun or bow, you need to be careful where to aim. Chances are most first shots won't be instantly fatal and you'll have to track the wounded animal. Legendary animals will make a return in Red Dead Redemption 2. We knew from the onset that Red Dead Redemption 2 won't skimp in the horse department, and Rockstar really delivered. Between 19 individual breeds, 59 coat styles and more customization options, you'll have more agency over the appearance and stats of your horse than you have over your own character in some other games. It will be important to form a strong bond with your steed, as the closer you are the less likely will it panic on you in a tense situation. You can tame wild horses, buy them at stables or steal them. Stables will act as a kind of garage for your "fleet", and these are also the locations where you can customize them and purchase supplies related to them. We've seen in trailers how detailed the animations on the horses are, and with all these customization options, the equestrian experience will be exquisite. If you're hungry for more information regarding Red Dead Redemption 2, check out our collection of details from the recent round of previews. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Wildlife & Horse Breeds Revealed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Following the first hands-on preview event for Red Dead Redemption 2, a number of gaming publications have posted in-depth impressions gained from 2 hours of playtime. Each journalist approached writing their recount differently and thus details are spread out across multiple articles. Here you'll find the most important details condensed into this one post. Note that we already covered the first-person mode separately. World Persistence One thing that Rockstar has been very openly pushing with Red Dead Redemption 2 is the depth and detail of the game world. This doesn't just extend to visuals - though these traits are present there in spades - but also in character interactions and the impact of your actions. Moreso than in other games, even minor encounters can have some kind of echo as you progress. While usually helping the odd NPC on the side of the road will net you some XP and reputation points, here these acts will color your interactions with other characters. Maybe that NPC went on to spread the word of your Samaritan act in a town, making others more likely to approach you with requests. They might also be friends with the local gunsmith, earning you a free weapon. These minor encounters affect your reputation and are in turn affected by your reputation, meaning the possible combinations are many. Few players will have the exact same experience and in-game anecdotes will vary wildly, with some choices and actions having long-term effects. Seamlessness In the name of immersion and realism, Rockstar is making some concessions that may oppose traditional game design rules. In fact, some of these choices may even be outright inconvenient for some players. The lines between main quests, side activities and random encounters are blurred significantly, and the rules regarding how you come across some activities are obscure. NPCs who may give you missions are marked on the minimap universally - there is no distinction between characters pertinent to main quests and those who only offer side missions or even less significant diversions. Also, the game doesn't tell you which NPCs may potentially offer some kind of mission, however, you don't yet meet the requirements. This way it will potentially be easy to miss content organically, and if you're a completionist, you'll spend a lot of time on the wiki. Distinct separations between types of quests, activities, and the characters that let you access them are a hallmark of game design and a significant accessibility feature, but they are also wholly unrealistic and somewhat immersion breaking. A common conclusion among the previews is that with Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar is willing to sacrifice much on the altar of realism and immersion. On that note, it is possible to toggle the HUD on and off, in case you wish to play without any clutter on the screen. Lots Of Animations One way that Rockstar works towards maximum realism is through animations, and there is so much focus placed on this that it deserves its own mention. The game is full of meticulously rigged and choreographed animations for absolutely everything. Dirt is present as a gameplay mechanic, meaning you'll need to clean your horse and your guns to maintain top performance, and just about every gun has its own cleaning animation. Depending on which direction you approach your horse from, Arthur's animations change dynamically. For example, his bow is always stored on one specific side of the saddlebag. Instead of only getting the contextual pop-up when standing on that side, or Arthur walking around the horse to it, if you walk up to the steed from the other side, he'll stretch and lean over to fetch it. The musculature of the horse is almost creepily accurate and various different types of trot. One might argue that there is no such thing as too much realism, but if there is, Rockstar definitely hit it. An interesting, um, detail, is that depending on the temperature of the area you are riding through, the scrotum of your horse will shrink or grow. Imagine having to animate that. Inventory System Rockstar put a lot of thought into how your horse will work in Red Dead Redemption 2. Beyond a great deal of customization, steeds will be your method of transport and your walking inventory. On the one hand, unlike in other games, the "call horse" button won't be universal. Your mount's position will be persistently tracked, and it won't just despawn after a while - you need to be within earshot of the animal to be able to call it, and if you get separated, you'll need to retrieve the horse. The horse also acts as a stash. Arthur's carry capacity and loadout are limited to keep with realism, however, one concession made is the unlimited inventory of the saddlebags. While on foot your weapons are limited, your whole arsenal is accessible from the horse, as are all your supplies, outfits and crafting materials. Rockstar still hasn't released the second gameplay video that was promised when the first one was posted, and that will likely be our next source for any new gameplay information. The post New Details From Red Dead Redemption 2 Previews appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

A range of mainstream gaming publications recently posted detailed previews of their hands-on time with Red Dead Redemption 2 at an event held by Rockstar. These previews revealed a number of details about the game and clarified a few questions we've been asking since the reveal, but there is one particular feature the confirmation of which rises above the rest - first-person mode is in. This will be the first time a Red Dead game has a first-person view. The option to toggle between third and first-person was somewhat expected considering Grand Theft Auto 5' Enhanced Edition, the version released on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, had it too. Rockstar has often highlighted the fact that Red Dead Redemption 2 is the first game made entirely for the current generation of consoles. Since GTA 5 was launched in the previous generation, it was fundamentally held back by the weaker hardware, and the improvements of the Enhanced Edition could reach only so far before the developers would have had to meddle with the core code. Red Dead Redemption 2 won't suffer from this, which is why you can expect a radically greater measure of detail in the open world - but it doesn't mean those other improvements need to be forgotten. From day one, the game will allow players to pick first-person view as their preferred perspective The entire game can be played, start to finish, in first-person if that is what you prefer. As Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Revolver before it were fully third-person, and all marketing material for Red Dead Redemption 2 was as well, it might be hard to adjust to the mode for some fans, but the good thing is that it is optional. The preview events revealed a bevy of other details, into which we'll delve in a separate post, including how dirt and heat will affect your horse's appearance, or how detailed hitboxes are - stay tuned! The post Red Dead Redemption 2 First-Person Mode Confirmed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

We've known that Red Dead Redemption 2 will be getting a multiplayer mode since the game was announced, and due to a domain name registered by Take-Two the name is no surprise either. Nonetheless, technically today is the first time Red Dead Online's existence has been officially confirmed and the similarities with Grand Theft Auto Online are numerous. Much like Red Dead Redemption's multiplayer before it, Red Dead Online will be based directly on the setting and gameplay of the main game, sharing most if not all mechanics and features with some additions. However, the mode will borrow more from GTA Online in terms of structure and business model. Red Dead Online will feature narrative elements as well as your usual lineup of co-op and competitive features. It will bring new gameplay styles and game modes to the main game's map and world, allowing you to explore it all over again, this time with your own character while forging your own story. Like GTA Online, Red Dead Online will launch a bit later than the main game. While Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released on the 26th of October, Red Dead Online will only go, well, online, in November - and even then, it will be a public beta initially, in order to iron out the kinks that often slip into major multiplayer game releases. After launch, Red Dead Online will continue to receive consistent free updates following GTA Online's DLC model. Rockstar's Imran Sarwar has confirmed that, unlike what many fans feared, GTA Online will continue to get new DLC updates for the foreseeable future following the launch of Red Dead Online. While none of this comes as particularly new - we've known of a multiplayer mode, and the DLC model was almost guaranteed to be copied over from GTA - the official confirmation is still nice to get. Rockstar's Imran Sarwar and Josh Needleman spoke with IGN about Red Dead Online but ultimately not much new info was revealed in the interview either. We have a few ideas about what we'd like to see in Red Dead Online. Stay tuned for further coverage. The post Red Dead Online Officially Announced appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Rockstar has shown off a couple of the major locations players will be visiting during Red Dead Redemption 2 in their latest reveal. A series of screenshots, some styled as postcards, show off settlements and points of interest with other images interspersed. Possibly even more importantly, this reveal practically confirms that the map leaked so long ago is accurate. Alongside revealing the specific locations, the images also indicate the various larger regions the game's map will be made up of. Going by the revealed locations, the game is going to pack a great deal of variety with regards to its towns and villages. Valentine, in The Heartlands region, is "A raucous, rough-and-tumble town" which will be a great place to wind down and resupply. The town is known for its livestock auctions which attract all kinds of wealthy travelers, who in turn attract outlaws, gamblers and prostitutes who try and rob, swindle or seduce the affluent clientele. Vastly different is Annesburg, found in Roanoke Ridge. A mining town, the locals aren't well off as digging for coal doesn't net them a high salary, and working conditions are terrible. Many workers lose their lives and the populace is pretty run down. Saint Denis, in the Bayou, is a bustling city. A true modern metropolis (based on New Orleans), Saint Denis is a key trading port, and a cultural melting pot. In spite of the encroaching modernity, outlaws aren't that rare a sight in the city where they brush shoulders with traders, officials, and businessmen. The Van Der Linde Gang may not be as welcome here as they are in wilder towns. Mount Hagen is one of the tallest peaks in the Grizzlies. An unforgiving frozen waste, the mount was once home to civilization but only the ruins of it remain. It's a perfect place for outlaws to hide, if uncomfortable, but when multiple outlaws get that idea things aren't always friendly. A hidden feud tarnishes the otherwise idyllic Scarlett Meadows town, Rhodes. Tensions between two major plantation-owning families, the Grays and the Braithwaites, has cast a shadow over the settlement where corruption now runs rampant. It's a perfect hotbed of opportunity for an enterprising outlaw. Big Valley's Strawberry is a quite and simple logging town that a stubborn mayor wants to transform entirely. The new mayor, hailing from the East Coast, sees the town as an investment opportunity, a potential tourist hotspot in the making, while the locals mock him behind his back. Lagras, sharing the Bayou with the extravagant Saint Denis, is a humble settlement. The fact that it's situated in a swamp is much more apparent than in its larger counterpart, and the locals don't exactly live glamorous lives. They gladly help travelers navigate the bog in exchange for a bit of coin. These locations line up with the ones seen on the leaked map from way back when. Up until now, there wasn't much supporting the validity of the map and we ourselves indicated skepticism, however now it seems like it was accurate after all. The sole difference seems to be Saint Denis, which was called New Bordeaux on the leaked map. Both are clear stand-ins for New Orleans, and New Bordeaux went on to be used in Mafia 3, also published by Take-Two. Possibly, that was a move to discredit the leak, however now it's almost certainly legitimate. A fan on Reddit added the postcard images from today's reveal to a representation of the leaked map, which also seems to indicate that the entirety of Red Dead Redemption's map will also be included in Red Dead Redemption 2. Hopefully we'll get more specifics on just how much of the leaked map is accurate in the coming weeks. Red Dead Redemption 2 is just over a month away, so the wait is almost over. Here is an overview of everything we know about the game and our Wiki is being built out as we speak! The post Rockstar Reveals Red Dead Redemption 2 Locations appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

We're getting ever so close to the October 26 release date of Red Dead Redemption 2 so here's everything worth knowing about the game (so far) before it launches. Release Information Red Dead Redemption 2 was officially announced in the October of 2016. It will be released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on the 26th of October, 2018. This release date is the result of two delays, pushing launch back a whole year from the initial window. Take-Two's CEO has confirmed that there will be no further delays, a stance reinforced by the ramping up of marketing materials. PC Version? There is no PC version confirmed in spite of wide-spread demand. Fans have been asking for a PC release since Red Dead Redemption launched in 2010, a movement that even spawned a petition. However, it seems that such a release might possibly be blocked by Sony and their agreement with Take-Two. Setting and Characters Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel to Red Dead Redemption. Set in 1899, the game follows the exploits of the Van Der Linde Gang during its most active and notorious period. During the course of the game, a botched robbery forces the gang to flee law enforcement across three states in order to escape the rapidly encroaching modernity that's taking the "wild" out of Wild West. During these turbulent events, Dutch van der Linde's grip on the gang starts to falter. The players will participate as Arthur Morgan, Dutch's right-hand man. The gang will number at least 23 members at various points in the storyline, all of whom were recently revealed via social media. Returning from Red Dead Redemption are John Marston, his wife Abigail, their son Jack, as well as fellow gang members Javier Escuella, Bill Williamson, Uncle and the aforementioned leader, Dutch. The rest of the characters are new faces. Red Dead Redemption 2 will feature the town Blackwater, but right now we don't know more about the map or visitable locations. A map for the game was allegedly leaked some time ago but it doesn't seem to be legitimate and even if it was, chances are it got changed since then. Gameplay Rockstar Games recently released a gameplay video detailing some of the game's mechanics, and it shares a lot with the previous title in the series. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an open-world action adventure game with a map that you can freely explore. Beyond the main storyline, the world is filled with all sorts of side-activities including hunting and various quests. Arthur Morgan's position in the gang means that players will need to take care of the other members. You can optionally supply the camp with food and supplies, however if you don't, that will reflect on the others' opinions of you. The other members will also occasionally offer various jobs or tasks that are also separate from the main storyline. The iconic dead-eye aiming is also making a return. Player's inventories and arsenal will be affected by the kind of equipment they and their horse have with them, and you'll be able to carry various weapons in different ways. In the gameplay trailer, Arthur is once shown holding a gun with which he fires in one hand while carrying another off-hand, to which he switches when the first gun's ammo runs out. The game introduces a new interaction system that lets you approach situations differently. It isn't as complex as conversation systems are in RPGs, for example, however it offers more options than in previous Red Dead games. Players can greet, antagonize and react in different ways towards NPCs. During encounters, you can also try to diffuse the situation to solve it without violence or provoke the opponent into brash action. Some screenshots revealed that Morgan will be able to dual wield weapons. Shooting mechanics and hitboxes are very precise so that if you shoot a character's hat in a part where their head isn't actually there, the hat will be knocked off without dealing damage. Rockstar's aim with Red Dead Redemption 2 to is to create their most deep and detailed open world to date, focusing on everything that will make it feel truly alive. The map will have multiple biomes, each with their own ecosystems, and everything from environmental details to AI will be geared to make players truly feel like they are part of a real world, not just some video game. Editions Rockstar has revealed several tiers of special editions for the game, all of which include various bonuses for fans willing to pay a little extra. These in-game rewards shed some light on certain game aspects, such as horse customization and player outfits. Check out our rundown of all special editions here. GTA Online Cross-Promotion Red Dead Redemption 2 has undergone several cross-promotional campaigns together with Grand Theft Auto Online. Players of GTA had the chance to participate in a pair of scavenger hunts, both of which unlocked items in RDR2. First, the gold-plated revolver could be unlocked, then the stone hatchet. While the golden revolver will only be a weapon skin, the hatchet is a full-blown weapon on its own. Red Dead Redemption 2's release draws ever near, so stay tuned for all the latest news leading up to and after launch day. The post Red Dead Redemption 2: Everything We Know appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in an exclusive interview, Josh Bass and Aaron Garbut of Rockstar revealed some new details about what to expect from Red Dead Redemption 2's storyline. While not many specifics were mentioned, for the first time we have a better picture of what the game's story will be like. The full interview can be read at the link above, but we've collected the important details below. This interview comes after Rockstar posted a new piece of artwork showing Dutch van der Linde's wanted poster, followed by individual character cards with quotes on them. We already know that the game takes place in 1899, making it a prequel to Red Dead Redemption. So far, the material we've seen in trailers suggests that we'll see the Van der Linde Gang at its height, having over 20 members and pulling crimes severe enough to have lawmen chase them through three states. However, the new details paint a slightly different picture, one of a gang fraying at the seams. Even though he isn't the playable character, Dutch is very much at the center of this story, much like he was in Red Dead Redemption. While the previous game told the story of his ultimate fall at the hands of John Marston, a former gang member, Red Dead Redemption 2 will tell the story of what was possibly his first failure - losing control over the gang. Several themes are shared by the two games. Even though we are some 12 years before Red Dead Redemption, the same sense of the encroaching modernity oppressing the pioneer lifestyle will be present, with the gang representing an old ideology metaphorically running from modernization represented by the law enforcement. In the interview, it is emphasized multiple times that the story will explore how Dutch, founder and leader of the gang, is losing control over it. Arthur Morgan's role in this is unclear, as he is described as the most loyal of Dutch's men - his Enforcer - yet as the protagonist, it is clear that his involvement will be significant. Knowing Rockstar, we won't learn much more about the story before launch. If the game even gets something along the lines of a "story trailer", it will likely collect info we already knew. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Plot Details Revealed In Interview appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Rockstar Games revealed 23 Red Dead Redemption 2 characters via social media today, answering some questions we had about the storyline and raising several more. This comes in the wake of a piece of art showing Dutch's wanted poster being posted yesterday. Dutch van der Linde pic.twitter.com/JChjsu6Ba5 — Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018 Each image shows character art laid over a generic landscape background with a quote added to it. The fact that these characters are revealed together, the content of their quotes, details in the artwork and what we know of some of them would indicate that all are members of Dutch's gang. A frequent theme among the quotes are references to living free, anti-government sentiments and mentions of crimes. A couple of characters are familiar faces, such as Dutch van der Linde, Bill Williamson, Javier Escuella, John Marston, Abigail Roberts (now we know her maiden name), Jack Marston and Uncle. A couple of new characters about whom we already knew, like Sadie Adler and Charles Smith also appear in the line-up. However, the majority of the characters are entirely new. Arthur Morgan's card was posted last, as he is the player character and carries enough importance to indicate to the fans who were taped to the screen all day (as the images were posted one by one over a period of several hours) that it's over. Most of our questions pertain to the involvement of some of these characters - Uncle was never mentioned to have been a member of the Van der Linde Gang in Red Dead Redemption. He did appear in some of the Red Dead Redemption 2 trailers before, but those didn't clear up this question either. Another curious detail is that Abigail is shown with her maiden name yet Jack is already several years old. The new characters serve their share of questions as well. In particular, Josiah Trelawny. The well dressed, elegant gentleman bears great resemblance to the Strange Man from Red Dead Redemption. The Strange Man expresses familiarity with John during the game, and even says "Why would you remember me, friend? You've forgotten far more important people than me." at one point indicating past interaction. However, if he was a gang member, clearly John would remember him. It's possible Josiah is simply a standard top-hat archetype who happens to be similar to the Strange Man to fuel speculation, or maybe he is the Strange Man and the odd happenings related to him somehow tie in to why none of these new characters are so much as mentioned in Red Dead Redemption - maybe they are the "far more important people" John has forgotten? You can check out all of the images on Rockstar's Twitter feed. We'll learn more about these characters on the 26th of October, when Red Dead Redemption 2 is released. The post 23 Red Dead Redemption 2 Characters Revealed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Rockstar's social media accounts posted a new piece of Red Dead Redemption 2 artwork depicting Dutch van der Linde's wanted poster - or, at least, one of them. At first glance, the poster isn't anything to write home about, however a few interesting hints regarding the game's story can be found in the text. The poster itself is just that, a plain stained parchment with printing on it, including a sketch of Dutch. Chances are that players will be able to find this poster in-game times a hundred. Though hopefully you won't need to tear them down to lower notoriety like you did in Assassin's Creed 2 onward. Specifically, the poster highlights the theft of $150,000 from a boat in Blackwater as well as a number of murders associated with this particular heist. The poster names some of Dutch's other crimes such as train robbery before giving a general description of him. It also states he was last seen fleeing to the Grizzlies from West Elizabeth. There are a few things to unwrap here. The most important piece of information is the $150,000 robbery. We knew already that the impetus for Red Dead Redemption 2's events is a high-profile botched robbery taking place in Blackwater committed by the Van der Linde Gang. This event is likely this very robbery. However, most theories suggested that the robbery kicking off Red Dead Redemption 2 is the Blackwater Massacre that is mentioned in Red Dead Redemption. The story fits - a major robbery gone wrong involving a gang with a lot of members, resulting in a protracted gunfight leaving many dead in its wake. Thing is, the Blackwater Massacre had nothing to do with boats - it happened in the town's central area. Either the robbery seen in the game won't be the Massacre, or the boat robbery does not refer to the one at the beginning of the storyline. It's possible that the starting event will be related to the boat, while the Blackwater Massacre will also be depicted in the game but at a later point in the storyline. Another interesting tidbit is regarding the geographical description. Both the Grizzlies and Big Valley are emphasized on the poster, which suggests both will be locations players can visit during the game. Our guess is that the opening few hours will see the gang traveling through the valley to the mountains. This also leaves hints regarding the game's map, as the Grizzlies weren't present in Red Dead Redemption. Chances are Rockstar will soon be releasing another gameplay trailer that might shed more light on this. The post Dutch Wanted Poster Published By Rockstar appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Rockstar Games has gone all-out with a newly announced product line of collectible merchandise for Red Dead Redemption 2. While some games get a few pieces of apparel, Rockstar has thrown a much wider net with items that probably never appeared as video game merchandise before being part of the lineup. That's not to say that apparel isn't on offer, it's just that apparel is the least interesting part of this. A total of 30 new products were revealed from a range of manufacturers that Rockstar teamed up with. Availability is still in question, but you should keep an eye on the Rockstar Warehouse for the pre-orders. To get the basic stuff out of the way first, there are 10 t-shirt variations among the newly announced merchandise. Four designs are available in a pair of colour combinations and another two designs are each available in just one variation. Among the shirts is the one previously seen in the Red Dead Redemption 2 press kit, however unfortunately the metal mug from that same kit isn't among the other items revealed. Stickers and pins, though different from the press kit ones, are also going to be available. Rockstar truly embraced the frontier setting of the Red Dead franchise with the other collectibles, as many of them are highly unexpected - pioneers in the field of video game merchandise, so to say. The Dynamite USB Charger is a small power pack shaped like a single stick of dynamite, complete with fuse and Red Dead Redemption 2 branding. There's also a premium wool blanket from Pendleton featuring members of the Van der Linde Gang. In case you ever had oddly specific desires such as a fire branded Red Dead Redemption 2 domino set, Rockstar obliges. The set comes in a hinged wooden box, and the dominoes themselves are black with red detailing. The ornate branded metal bottle opener goes well with the collapsible Rockstar logo shot glass. If you smoke (or are a pyromaniac), you can choose between the brass Zippo lighter or the engraved matchbox slipcase. Among the oddest inclusions in this product line is a trio of scented candles, all cast in black wax. They come in the shape of a barrel, three sticks of dynamite, or in a traditional glass candle holder. Even stranger is the pair of glass decoupage trays, one with a stylized Rockstar Games logo, and the other with a catalog page right out of Red Dead Redemption 2's gun stores. Why anyone would want Red Dead branded decoupage trays is beyond us, but hey, this stands testament to how mainstream this IP is. There's also a set of three Metal Earth 3D puzzles to be built in the face of a sawed-off shotgun, a Maxim gun and a locomotive. A series of leather items include cases for iPads and iPhones as well as a valet tray. Last but not least, a pair of Rockstar Logo keychains close the lineup. This is a strong merchandise showing with a very wide range of items available allowing fans to sneak a bit of Red Dead Redemption 2 into their daily lives. In some cases, such as with the decoupage trays, the branding is fairly subtle allowing them to fit into rooms with otherwise standard decor. Release dates for these items have not been announced, but we'd guess they'll be available around the same time as the game. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Collectible Merchandise Line Revealed appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

In spite of our collective hope, rumors and apparent attempts by the editorial team at Game Informer, Red Dead Redemption 2 won't get a featured front-cover on the emblematic magazine. Confirmed by Game Informer Editor in Chief Andy McNamara, the upcoming highly anticipated open-world epic from Rockstar Games won't be gracing the publication's front page. Game Informer magazine covers have gained a kind of special status in the gaming press. Usually, highly anticipated AAA titles would be featured with exclusive artwork on the front page of the publication, accompanied by lengthy features, previews and interviews within the magazine. Whenever an upcoming game got a Game Informer cover, you knew there is a huge infodump on the way. We don’t have a RDR2 cover coming. Everyone tried, it just didn’t work out. — Andy McNamara (@GI_AndyMc) August 27, 2018 Based on McNamara's Tweet, Game Informer was definitely on board with the idea and fought to get that cover story, but "it didn't work out". If we had to guess - and due to so little information being available we do - we'd say Rockstar outright rejected this proposal or proposals due to their penchant for secrecy. Rockstar Games always reveals, or doesn't reveal, information about their upcoming games on their own schedule - and that schedule is usually very roomy and pushed close to release. When other games get several gameplay trailers, long demos at events, hands-on previews and so on, Rockstar keeps everything under lock and key until the last possible moment. The first peek of actual gameplay we got for Red Dead Redemption 2 was earlier this month, with the game coming in late October. It was first announced way back in 2016. A series of such gameplay videos were promised by Rockstar, and yet almost a month has passed without the next one popping up - if they are released in monthly intervals, we'll only get two more before launch. Game Informer cover stories are usually exhaustive and filled with juicy details, which is probably why Rockstar isn't playing ball - they just don't want to uncover that many features, mechanics and hints about the game. Nonetheless, the time until launch is shrinking, and those gameplay videos will have to tide us over until the 26th of October. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Won't Be Getting A Game Informer Cover appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story

Sony and Rockstar are making a further show of their partnership with regards to Red Dead Redemption 2, with the first hands-on preview of the game to be published in the official PlayStation Magazine due in September. With time until the game's launch in October quickly running out, it makes sense that the previews should start coming. The preview got a full-page teaser in this month's edition of the PlayStation Magazine, reminding readers that the mag will be out on the 25th of September, and there is another even more interesting tidbit for Red Dead fans - the issue will contain a soundtrack disc as well as DLC for the game, apparently. Source: TJ Marinelli (Twitter)This is a pretty unexpected move, though not entirely surprising seeing how the two companies have been pushing their partnership during the course of Red Dead Redemption 2's marketing so far. DLC has been used as retailer promotion and pre-order bonuses for years now, but attaching extra in-game content to a magazine is pretty rare - we're interested to see whether the bundled DLC will be exclusive to the magazine. Rockstar recently released an info-heavy gameplay trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2, which was but the first in a series of such trailers to be released in the coming weeks. We're hoping at least one more such gameplay trailer will be posted before the magazine's release, but either way you can be sure that the hands-on demo will reveal a wealth of details about the game first-party marketing content wouldn't include. August is almost over, and the October 26 release date is quickly approaching, meaning fans should brace themselves for the soon ensuing onslaught of pre-release publicity and marketing. Beyond the gameplay trailer series, we might get a few more details about the plot, but Rockstar will likely keep most of the story a mystery before launch. The post Red Dead Redemption 2 Hands-On Preview Coming Next Month appeared first on RDR2. Read the full story