With any popular and populated online game, players are always prepared to make their own fun in various ways and Red Dead Online is no exception. While players are always willing to show off tricks in Red Dead games, another pastime of any system with a character creator is to recreate famous individuals.
In the most recent demonstration for a player's dedication to making in-game copies, Redditor HonorHHawk opted to bring the "King of Pop" to the untamed lands of Red Dead Online. Through clever use of clothing options, emotes, and locations, all tied to a specifically modelled face, HonorHHawk achieved an impressive feat.
The minute-long video shows HonorHHawk's tribute to the late musician through both dance and song. By using Michael Jackson's 1987 hit "Smooth Criminal" as a backing track, HonorHHawk has his Red Dead Online avatar dance the night away through various in-game locations. For added effect, HonorHHawk even went so far to change up the attire for his Old West interpretation of Jackson for each of the cuts. What really shines about each, is that they all work. Accompanied by the "Graceful Dance" emote for Red Dead Online, it simply makes magic.
One of the great spots that HonorHHawk chose to show of his dancing Jackson was in a cemetery within the Wild West plains of Red Dead Online. At this point in the video, HonorHHawk opted to have his Jackson wear an iconic piece of pop culture attire and pay homage to a legendary music video. The sequence riffs on the "Thriller" music video, considered one of the most impactful and celebrated entries within the medium. Beyond just that, every choice of clothing matches some costume Jackson wore over his career.
This is not the first time players decided to utilize Red Dead Online's character creator for some charming tributes. Back in November, a Red Dead Online player recreated Shay from Assassin's Creed Rogue to similar success as HonorHHawk's Michael Jackson. Character recreations extend far beyond just online focused games like Red Dead Online and are a staple of any game that houses a character creator. Just last year, to accompany the launch of the PlayStation 5, Demon's Souls players brought Kanye West into the dark fantasy world. There are a plethora of examples, but bringing MJ to Red Dead may stand as one of the best and weirdest.
As for Red Dead Online, the game continues to hold a steady stream of players as the online component of Red Dead Redemption 2 proceeds into its third year. With the recent release of the Red Dead Online standalone edition, there will likely be more players attempting to tackle the West alongside with other would-be cowboys. It's very possible that they might add their own spins on cultural icons as they progress.
Red Dead Online is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One.