Is there a way to manage hackers in 2025 on PC?

[gsamson24]

I wanted to get back into playing and it seems like some sessions are fine but others have hackers and issues in them making the game unplayable. I reported it to Rockstar a few times and they have done nothing about it. Probably won't either. Is there a method to avoiding them or something I can do so I don't have to deal with them so often? 

[Kean_1]

Well, until they add the option for unrestricted "invite-only" sessions like they finally did on GTAV, I really don't see how to avoid others if you're looking to play the full RDO experience. 

...but I'm on PS5 and not PC so there may be something you can do that I'm not aware of.

[KoiiBoii]

There is a nexus mod you can use that makes it so your in a session with only friends but because this is using a mod online, it can result in you getting banned. I wouldn't risk it because of that. I mean we can keep pestering Rockstar to add the option to have invite-only sessions like in GTA online but at this point, I don't know if they will add it. I think if the game does come out for the Switch 2 though, they might end up adding it. Fingers crossed they do it for all consoles and PC though. 

[Kean_1]

The game obviously has a dedicated fanbase and could have easily improved that with even a portion of the support they show GTAV, but alas.....  RDR2/O was a big success for R* and would have been an even larger "feather-in-the-cap" for most other developers.  Why they chose not to expand further on it and pull nearly all support while they work on GTA6 is beyond me.  .....but then RDR1 was also never fully nurtured either.  

I was always hoping for a Red Dead Nightmare 2 or at least an enhanced edition for PS5/XB among other things.

[MadMatt]

I don't see them changing anything about this. I mean the least they could have done was add in an invite session option ffs. I been saying this for the last few years. How they going to add it to GTA 5 and not RDR2? I am sure it is an easy code if modders were able to figure it out. Like just buy the mod and make that an option. I just don't get it. 

[tadp0le]

As mentioned, using a mod but it is risky. 

I was tempted but I don't want to get banned for it and I can't convince my friends to do it anyways. Well one of them would but I just can't bring myself to risk it.

[MrLighthouse7]

I am experiencing the same issue on my end. I thought it was just graphics that were making me crash but seeing the random bouts of fire shooting out of random **** and the instant 1-minute crash as soon as I enter a free roam server has made my suspicions more clear, which makes me quite sad, seeing as I really wanted to get back into RDO. I played on my PS4 years ago, but I'm a PC person now, and I was able to snag this game for $15 thanks to the Steam Summer Sale. However, I'm unable to play it due to this issue, which is worse since I had a few friends get it with me. I really love RDR2, and I hope they at least do something to fix this problem. It is truly sad to see this game die out

[Purple Cactus]

On 7/4/2025 at 8:06 AM, MrLighthouse7 said:

I am experiencing the same issue on my end. I thought it was just graphics that were making me crash but seeing the random bouts of fire shooting out of random **** and the instant 1-minute crash as soon as I enter a free roam server has made my suspicions more clear, which makes me quite sad, seeing as I really wanted to get back into RDO. I played on my PS4 years ago, but I'm a PC person now, and I was able to snag this game for $15 thanks to the Steam Summer Sale. However, I'm unable to play it due to this issue, which is worse since I had a few friends get it with me. I really love RDR2, and I hope they at least do something to fix this problem. It is truly sad to see this game die out

What makes me the most mad about this is that it is such an easy fix. Just enable invite lobbies for friends. So many people I know would still be playing if it was an option but most quit due to the public lobbies being filled with horrible players. 

[liquidfire]

Short of just playing solo, not really. I mean if you want to play with friends you will have to deal with it. Unless you want to risk getting banned by using mods like some others mentioned. 

At this point, idk why they didn't enable friend/invite lobbies. It just seems so dumb to me.

[ChrisCr0ss]

I know there is a trick to load into an empty online lobby in GTA online but idk if it would work for this game or not. I know it only works for PC. I believe you load in and then cut your internet, then put it back on and it will kick you and then load you back in. Then you can invite friends. I could be wrong so just look up the trick and test it for RDR online, see if it does it.

[Kean_1]

There is a way to do it on PS5 with the MTU settings. Doesn't work as well in RDO and in GTAO.its now a moot point considering the option was added for invite-only that included all access.

[Coyote]

On 6/26/2025 at 10:15 AM, KoiiBoii said:

There is a nexus mod you can use that makes it so your in a session with only friends but because this is using a mod online, it can result in you getting banned. I wouldn't risk it because of that. I mean we can keep pestering Rockstar to add the option to have invite-only sessions like in GTA online but at this point, I don't know if they will add it. I think if the game does come out for the Switch 2 though, they might end up adding it. Fingers crossed they do it for all consoles and PC though. 

Are you talking about the RDO Lobby Manager Mod? I am fairly certain they don't ban for that mod. I mean you could contact Rockstar and ask but I know some people that have been using it for a long while and one of them said they made sure it was okay with Rockstar before they did it. I think they said something along the lines of it shouldn't be detected but if it is, you will have to do an appeal for your ban and it can take days or weeks to resolve it but they almost always do.

[Glopez]

That doesn't sound like Rockstar to me. lol 

Like I am fairly certain they don't want ANY mods online. I can't see them making an acceptation for this one. I could be wrong but they seem very strict with any and all mods.