Rockstar developed a wildly successful approach to GTA Online, but it is still figuring out its formula with Red Dead Online, both in terms of content and style. The recent release of Red Dead Online: Blood Money tried to add some things the game needs, but Rockstar's approach to unlockable player customization still has some obvious issues.
Red Dead Online has introduced an assortment of outfits and accessories that can be obtained either via the various season passes, Role unlocks, or through the in-game catalog. The problem is a lack of diversity and an obtuse approach to new outfits. While some RDO outfits are outright disappointing, others, like the recently added Radcliff outfit worn by Dutch, are just a lazy design choice. The outfits are certainly appealing and sure to be worn by some, but the fact that Rockstar is releasing Dutch's outfit nearly three years after launch and locking it behind a season pass is odd, to say the least.
Carrying story content over to an online setting is nothing new and certainly nothing negative. Countless hours go into crafting games, outfits included, and it only makes natural sense to carry those assets over to the multiplayer component. Some players enjoy getting to wear outfits or armor worn by their favorite single-player character, so including those in the online world is a good decision for fan service. Red Dead Online's approach, however, is odd because of its timing and pacing.
Rockstar's RDO Clothes Carryover Is Disappointing
This isn't the first time Rockstar has done this with Red Dead Online outfits either. In fact, it just brought back a number of outfits from previous Outlaw Passes, featuring ones worn by Arthur, John, Bill, and Javier. Dutch's Redcliff outfit is just the latest in Rockstar's drip-feed of campaign outfits, which highlights the frustrating execution. Rockstar has now introduced five outfits across three different Outlaw Passes, all of which were touted by Rockstar as new content for players but were actually recycled from previous passes.
Red Dead Online's beta initially launched in November of 2018, and it was a year later before Outlaw Pass 2 brought the first carryover of Van Der Linde Gang outfits. A year and a half later, and Rockstar is still trickling RDR2 outfits into RDO, making for five outfits over the thirty-two months since the beta first launched. On top of that also comes the staggering price for some of the outfits being reintroduced. Arthur's outfit alone cost 52 gold bars, which is more than the cost of the entire Outlaw Pass in which it was originally included. With decreased ways to earn gold in Red Dead Online, players without enough would have to spend $20 in real money to get enough gold bars to purchase just the one outfit.
Bringing back these outfits at this expense is just one example of Rockstar's frustrating approach to content for Red Dead Online. The season pass system was also changed to now be four shorter passes with 25 ranks each, which means the pass system costs 100 gold bars for 100 ranks whereas previous passes were 45 gold bars for 100 ranks. Thanks to a number of leaks, players already know the passes are filled with re-skins of old content - all of which makes the new system and additional outfits more frustrating. From masks to old outfits and beyond, Rockstar is asking fans to shell out some serious gold bars on a constant basis just to get a handful of recycled things in Red Dead Online.