Developer Rockstar Games has done the inevitable and officially announced Red Dead Online for Red Dead Redemption 2. The follow-up and prequel to Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is Rockstar’s biggest release since 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V. Following the lead of GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2 will have a massive online multiplayer component that'll take place in an open world.

The first Red Dead Redemption had its own online multiplayer. Players could compete in various modes including Free For All, Gang Shootout and Grab the Bag. There was also a Free Roam mode that allowed players to explore Red Dead’s open world with friends and strangers. However the new Red Dead Online will be an even more robust and feature-heavy experience.

Related: Our Thoughts on The Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay Trailer

Rockstar Games announced Red Dead Online themselves with the mode's very own launch date. Red Dead Online won't be released simultaneously with Red Dead Redemption 2. Access to Red Dead Online will be free to anyone who purchases the game but Rockstar won’t roll out the virtual red carpet until a month after Red Dead Redemption 2’s release. Red Dead Online will begin with a public beta starting in November.

The reason for Red Dead Online’s delay is that Rockstar Games is treating it as a standalone experience. Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online will use the same gameplay mechanics but will be two separate experiences. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be a complete and massive single-player experience at release but it’ll remain mostly static. Online, on the other hand, will be constantly updated with new content and adjustments. These adjustments are another reason for Red Dead Online’s delay as Rockstar is anticipating that there might be some problems with the online mode launch due to its size. The size and scope of Red Dead Online is so massive that Rockstar anticipates “some turbulence.” The public beta will give Rockstar time to iron out some of the kinks with Red Dead Online and hopefully present the best possible product to players.

There’s still a lot that’s left to be uncovered about Red Dead Online. Grand Theft Auto Online should probably be used as a template. The online experience for GTA has received a steady stream of updates since its launch. In many ways it has outlived the single player experience. Yet there are few real competitive modes for Grand Theft Auto Online, at least not a traditional sense. Players can shoot each other, run each other over and otherwise maim each other in GTA Online but there’s no real dedicated competitive modes like those found in the original Red Dead Redemption.

The official press release for Red Dead Online does mention that the mode will take cues from the first Red Dead Redemption. Red Dead Online will reportedly blend “narrative with competitive and cooperative gameplay in fun new ways.” Exactly how that manifests remains to be seen but that’s the case for a lot of Red Dead Redemption 2. Even though the release date of the cowboy blockbuster is imminent, Rockstar Games has just barely trickled out information. Some of the main characters of the game were just unveiled recently. Even with all the mystery, Red Dead Redemption 2 is poised to be one of the most successful games of 2018, even more so now that Online has been confirmed.

More: Red Dead Redemption 2: Our First Locations Guide

Red Dead Redemption 2 will release on October 26 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Source: Rockstar Games