Many players believe Red Dead Online lives under the shadow of Grand Theft Auto Online and never truly reached its full potential. The multiplayer mode of Red Dead Redemption 2 also did not receive the same level of updates or support from Rockstar, which has only made this claim stronger over time.
However, in a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick strongly rejected the claim that Red Dead Online was a “missed opportunity,” saying the online mode has been “immensely successful and long-lasting.” To prove his point, Zelnick pointed to the huge success of Red Dead Redemption 2 itself, which has now sold more than 85 million copies worldwide, making it the fourth best-selling game of all time.
He also explained that perceptions around the franchise are affected by how huge GTA has become. “If we didn’t have Grand Theft Auto here at our company, then people would just talk about the fact that we have this massive franchise in Red Dead, which we do and of which we’re very proud,” he added. “I actually personally think Red Dead is just amazing and I love engaging with it. And I think the reason it continues to sell is that it’s just spectacular entertainment. It’s beautiful and it feels very up to date despite the fact that it’s not a new title.”
It’s worth noting that development for Red Dead Online slowed down heavily after the Blood Money update released in July 2021, and a year later Rockstar confirmed that it was actively moving development resources away from Red Dead Online to focus on the production of GTA VI. On the other hand, GTA Online continued to receive regular content updates and strong support from Rockstar.
And since Rockstar is now mainly focused on preparing for the launch of GTA VI, which is scheduled to release on November 19, it is unlikely that Red Dead Online will receive any major revival or large-scale support anytime soon. For more Rockstar Games related coverage, keep checking GameObserver.
