Announced via the company's Twitter page, Rockstar Games will be offering Red Dead Online as a standalone release later this year on the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Rockstar Games Launcher. It will be available to purchase from December 1, and will allegedly include all current and future updates for the game.
As for whether players purchasing the separate addition of Red Dead Redemption 2's online multiplayer mode will still be able to gain access to its campaign, Rockstar revealed that the story mode can be unlocked if buyers change their minds. It'll be a big switch up to the game that will surely entice some new blood to join the servers and play with its array of long-time Red Dead Online players.
Alongside the announcement, Rockstar also gave an update on next week's expansion of the Bounty Hunter role, claiming that it will offer a number of new features for fans of the Red Dead Online profession. According to the press release, there will be some fresh targets to hunt down, 10 more bounty hunter ranks to ascend, and an influx of new equipment to help wrangle up Red Dead Redemption 2's most undesirable outlaws. To help players bump up their level in anticipation of the upcoming event, Rockstar will also be offering double XP this week, meaning players can get themselves into prime shape to face down the expansion's new targets.
The news of Red Dead Online's new standalone release format seems to hint that Rockstar is making a considerable push to market its multiplayer offerings as separate entities to its campaigns, with the company revealing back in June that Grand Theft Auto Online would also get a standalone release on next-generation consoles. That being said, while GTA Online will be getting an enhanced upgrade on next-gen hardware, Red Dead Online will not, with Rockstar citing in the press release that the standalone multiplayer release will run the backward compatible Xbox One and PS4 versions.
Speaking of Grand Theft Auto Online, the game will be getting a significant update on December 15, bringing with it a brand new heist set in a new location. It's the first time Rockstar will be expanding the map of GTA Online through its various expansions, as players venture to Cayo Perico, a luxurious private island. It looks to be a significant slice of new content for the now seven-year-old game, with a new area to explore and a mission to complete.
Red Dead Online is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.