When Rockstar Games released Red Dead Redemption back in 2010, the concept of open world gaming seemed to truly come into its own. Far from being the first open world title, Red Dead Redemption was arguably the most impressive effort in the style up to that point. A Wild West setting that spanned enormous geographical challenges, Red Dead Redemption helped change the way gamers viewed console gaming and attracted hordes of new devotees in the process.

So it was indeed with tremendous excitement that fans of the game took their first official glimpse at Red Dead Redemption 2 – a sequel that has been more than six years in the making and which is quite possibly one of the most sought after video game sequels ever. Though the proffered trailer was little more than a somewhat agonizing tease of things to come, next-gen console owners were no doubt blown away by the now very real prospect of this game on their systems.

Owners of one particular brand of next-gen console however, will have the lucky distinction of being the first to take on Red Dead Redemption 2’s online content when the game arrives in autumn 2017. In a post from PlayStation.Blog, Sony revealed that the Playstation 4 would have first dibs on the brand new Rockstar content and that more information as to what exactly this entails would be arriving at a later date. The brief announcement reads:

We are pleased to announce that PS4 players get first access to earn select online content in the vast open world of Red Dead Redemption 2. Check back on PlayStation.Blog for more details soon and for all of the latest information on Red Dead Redemption 2.

Exactly how far in advance PS4 owners will be able to run rampant in the Wild West with Red Dead’s DLC as compared to Xbox owners is presently unknown, but the mere fact that Sony has been able to arrange this will have more than a few PS4 gamers pleased. In addition to announcing that the PS4 will be first to test out Red Dead Redemption 2’s DLC, Sony has also revealed that the original Red Dead Redemption will be coming to the PlayStation Now streaming service soon. Xbox One owners have had the pleasure of playing Red Dead Redemption via backwards technology since it was re-released this past summer. Now for the first time, PlayStation owners will also be able to experience the enhanced game, as will PC owners – though the version won’t be specifically designed for PC.

Is Rockstar giving PlayStation this advance opportunity to take on Red Dead Redemption 2’s DLC because Microsoft was first to put Red Dead out on their next gen console through backwards compatibility? Likely not. Whatever the reason though, the announcement of Red Dead Redemption 2 coupled with news of this advance access to the game could be enough to lure in a significant number of new customers to PlayStation 4 come next autumn.

Still, however far in advance Red Dead Redemption 2’s PS4 gamers get their hands on the game’s DLC, Xbox owners will have plenty of time to try it out at a later date too. They may not be first in line to check out this extra content, but let’s not lose sight of the facts here: Red Dead Redemption 2 is finally coming and whether you’re a PS4 or Xbox One owner, everyone is going to get to take on what will likely be one of the greatest gaming experiences of the past few years.

Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released autumn 2017.

Source: PlayStation.Blog