Red Dead Redemption 2 was one of the most popular video game releases of 2018, and in fact, remains one of the world's most popular games to this day. Fans continue to play through the award-winning single player campaign and spend plenty of time in the Red Dead Online mode, and this in spite of Rockstar Games not releasing any major DLC expansions. Rockstar has supported Red Dead Online through smaller content updates, but it's safe to say fans are hungry for more.
While Rockstar Games has not given any indication as to whether or not Red Dead Redemption 2 or Red Dead Online will ever get more substantial DLC, fans still have some semblance of hope. After all, Grand Theft Auto Online didn't receive its major Cayo Perico Heist DLC until a whopping seven years after its initial launch, so it's never too late for Rockstar to release a big update for Red Dead Online or Red Dead Redemption 2.
If Rockstar ever decides to release Red Dead Redemption 2 DLC, the question remains what form it would take. However, there are two obvious paths for Rockstar to go down when it comes to Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online DLC, and it's quite likely that either option would please fans.
Undead Nightmare
Rockstar Games released DLC for the original Red Dead Redemption, with the most notable being the Undead Nightmare expansion. A standalone expansion to the original Red Dead Redemption, Undead Nightmare was a non-canon story that saw zombies take over the game world. Capitalizing on the zombie craze that was sweeping media at the time, Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare proved to be a huge hit with fans and critics alike, earning strong sales and acclaim.
Considering how popular the original Undead Nightmare expansion was, it's no surprise fans have been wanting to see something similar for Red Dead Redemption 2. There have been rumors that Red Dead Redemption 2 Halloween events would add Undead Nightmare content, but those rumors have proven to be false every time. But as previously mentioned, it would never too late for Rockstar to release an expansion for Red Dead Redemption 2 thanks to the game's persistent popularity, and so maybe an Undead Nightmare expansion will materialize for the game at some point down the line.
It's easy to see why Red Dead Redemption 2 fans would want an Undead Nightmare expansion for the new game. Red Dead Redemption 2 is miles ahead its predecessor in terms of graphical fidelity and the scope of its game world, and so seeing the franchise's take on zombies in Red Dead Redemption 2 would be a sight to behold. It would also give players the chance to revisit Red Dead Redemption 2's characters. The original Undead Nightmare was non-canon, and so a follow-up could be so as well, bringing back characters who died during the events of the base game's story.
When it comes to DLC for the Red Dead Redemption 2 single player experience, Undead Nightmare seems to be the most obvious choice. However, it's worth pointing out that the original Undead Nightmare also had an online multiplayer component, and so it would be expected for the sequel to have one as well. This way Rockstar could not only boost the Red Dead Redemption 2 single player content with Undead Nightmare, but Red Dead Online as well.
In the original Undead Nightmare, the multiplayer consisted of the Land Grab and Undead Overrun game modes. Land Grab didn't actually have anything to do with zombies, but Undead Overrun was essentially a co-op horde mode. A sequel to Undead Nightmare could likely get by with ditching Land Grab, but a new version of Undead Overrun where players can team up with their friends to battle hordes of zombies in dedicated areas or across the game's massive open world has obvious appeal.
Mexico
Recently, a Red Dead Online player accidentally spawned in Mexico, a region of the game that actually isn't accessible in any official capacity. This kickstarted a firestorm of online discussion, with fans calling on Rockstar Games to add Mexico to Red Dead Online proper. Rockstar Games did not respond to these requests, and it seems quite likely that the glitch that has allowed players to spawn in Mexico will eventually be closed.
However, Mexico provides an opportunity similar to Undead Nightmare. Mexico content could not only expand the Red Dead Redemption 2 single player experience, but also provide new content for Red Dead Online as well. Giving players new missions to complete in Mexico in Red Dead Redemption 2's story mode would likely be well-received by fans of the game, plus adding the area to Red Dead Online would do a lot to keep dedicated players engaged and give them something new to do.
As it stands, Rockstar Games seems content on releasing smaller Red Dead Online updates as opposed to expansions of the scale that it released for the original game. But again, it's never too late for Rockstar to change course and release something a bit more expansive for the game, especially if it continues to be popular as the industry enters the next generation of consoles.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
