Red Dead Redemption 2 releases on Friday, October 26, but what time does it unlock for those who pre-ordered and pre-loaded the game? After years and years of waiting, Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2 is finally hitting store shelves this month. While it's not a sequel to 2010's Red Dead Redemption (it's actually a prequel), it is, by all means, a follow-up to the previous console generation's acclaimed Western game.

Players return to the Old West in Red Dead Redemption 2, but this time in the boots of the character Arthur Morgan, who's one of the members of the Van der Linde gang alongside the 2010 game's main protagonist, John Marston. Red Dead Redemption 2 was originally supposed to release sometime in fall 2017 before Rockstar Games delayed it to an unspecified release date in early 2018, in order to give developers ample time to make sure the title meets expectations. Unfortunately, it was delayed one last time to October 2018. And now, on the verge of the game's (actual) release, gamers are wondering what time it will unlock for those who pre-ordered.

Related: Get A Look At Red Dead Redemption 2's Entire World Map

Even though Rockstar Games won't say the official time Red Dead Redemption 2 unlocks for players around the world, the game's listing on the Microsoft Store reveals the time the game becomes available. According to the website, Red Dead Redemption 2 unlocks at 12:01 am EST on Friday, October 26, which means players on the west coast of the United States and Canada can play it by 9 pm on Thursday, October 25, which isn't long after the first reviews for Red Dead Redemption 2 release online.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Key Art Cropped

For now, Red Dead Redemption 2 is releasing on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 only, with the upgraded versions of both consoles - the Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro, respectively - supporting native 4K, thus providing one of the most graphically-intensive console releases this generation so far. And the game will presumably unlock for both platforms at the same time on Thursday/Friday. But there are already rumors that a Red Dead Redemption 2 PC release is happening. It's almost a given that it will eventually make its way over to PC, but exactly when that will happen is unknown.

However, one thing gamers have to look forward to in addition to the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 is the launch of Red Dead Online - Rockstar's multiplayer component for the prequel title, which is heavily modeled after Grand Theft Auto Online that released for Grand Theft Auto V several years ago. Red Dead Online is scheduled to go into beta next month.

More: Our Thoughts on The Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay