Red Dead Online released alongside Red Dead Redemption 2 in November 2018, amassing a sizable fanbase over the years to come. In July 2022, developer Rockstar Games announced plans to wind down Red Dead Online in order to focus on the development of Grand Theft Auto 6. However, players retained access to the game after major updates ceased, similar to what happened with its predecessor Red Dead Redemption. Despite releasing over a decade ago, Red Dead Redemption 1 remains playable online today through limited platforms.
Red Dead Redemption 1 launched in May 2010 for the PS3 and Xbox 360 to unanimous praise, and its online mode lets players explore the game's open-world setting and missions in one of three lobbies: Friendly, Hardcore, or Private. Exploring those lobbies today reveals a relatively large amount of players considering a more powerful sequel is available, particularly in the Friendly lobby. However, methods with which to play the game have been restricted over time.
Red Dead Redemption 1 Online Remains Playable
Red Dead Redemption1 Online launched on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but both Sony and Microsoft provided means for players to experience the original title through the Xbox One and PS4 era. As a result, fans are still discovering hidden details in Red Dead Redemption nearly 13 years later. Servers on both Sony and Microsoft platforms remain active, but the current generation has more limited availability.
Red Dead Redemption remains listed on the Xbox Marketplace, backward compatible on the Xbox Series X/S via purchase or an Xbox 360 copy. However, Red Dead Redemption removed from the PlayStation Plus service after six years. The PS3 was notorious for its compatibility issues, leading many of its games to only be playable on later generations via streaming through PS Now or Plus. As Red Dead 1 never received a remaster, its removal from streaming eliminated it from playability on the PS4 and PS5. Despite this, the game's online mode remains playable on PlayStation 3.
Some suspected a potential remake of Red Dead Redemption 1 was in development, but recent rumors suggest that may no longer be the case. Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition was poorly received by critics and players alike, which may have led to scrapped plans for further remasters such as Red Dead Redemption. Fans are thus left in a difficult position, as it appears the current methods of play have the risk of removal growing every day.
Red Dead Redemption's Fans Keep The Franchise Alive
While both Red Dead Redemption games have stopped receiving major multiplayer updates, fans refuse to let their online modes die. Though it may not be as many as in the game's height of popularity, active Red Dead Redemption players show how dedicated many are to the franchise. With the final phase of support for Red Dead Online occurring now, fans of Red Dead Redemption 2 are sure to similarly keep that game alive in the years to come. Some fans have spent over 6,000 hours in Red Dead Online's multiplayer landscape, so the news of Rockstar ending development hits hard. However, Red Dead Redemption 1's online activity lends support to the idea that the game is far from dead.
Nearly 13 years after its release, Red Dead 1 is available on some modern hardware and via physical copies for previous console generations. Rockstar has said goodbye to Red Dead Online, but fans of the franchise will help it to live on for years to come. For now, players can revisit both titles and find plenty to do, at least until Rockstar provides an update on the future of the franchise's offerings.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
