Update: The first official Red Dead Redemption gameplay trailer is here!

Rockstar Games will showcase gameplay for Red Dead Redemption 2 for the first time this Thursday, August 9. While the highly anticipated open world Western game has had a few cinematic and story trailers released, this will be the first official reveal for some proper gameplay.

Red Dead Redemption 2 acts as a prequel to last generation's Red Dead Redemption, which itself was a spiritual successor to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox game Red Dead Revolver. The story of the game will take place in the year 1899, with players filling the shoes of Arthur Morgan. This protagonist is a member of the Van der Linde gang, which was depicted in the first Red Dead Redemption game with former gang member John Marston, who will appear in the sequel.

Related: Young John Marston Spotted In Red Dead Redemption 2 Trailer

Rockstar announced the news, but did not reveal any specifics on what kind of gameplay would be shown. The gameplay reveal will be on Rockstar's official website and their official YouTube channel on Thursday, August 9, 11:00 am EST. As trailers for the game thus far have focused on the single-player story portion of the game, it is likely this gameplay reveal will clarify details on the mechanics of the game. The previous Red Dead game featured a morality system known as "Honor," where your actions as the player would affect your reputation. The previous Red Dead games also utilized a system called "Dead Eye," which was a bullet time effect for duels against non-playable characters.

But what is more likely is that Rockstar will detail the online aspect of Red Dead Redemption 2. Seeing how the developer has supported Grand Theft Auto Online, currently the company's primary money-maker, since its release in 2013, it would be obvious that Rockstar would take the same approach with the Red Dead series. GTA Online contains features such as missions, heists, races, and personal spaces, all of which could translate well to the Red Dead universe. Seeing how a train heist was depicted in one of the Red Dead Redemption 2 trailers, heists would be a perfect fit for the Western crime game.

Hype for Red Dead Redemption 2 is as high as ever, with the project being the first full game from Rockstar Games since Grand Theft Auto V. With the developer's focus on multiplayer for the past few years, players must surely be curious about what the company has in store for their next single-player story.

More: Red Dead Redemption Trailer #2 Reveals the Plot of the Game

Source: Rockstar Games PR