Red Dead Online's biggest weakness was always its inconsistent and underwhelming updates; Red Dead Redemption 3 needs to fix that if it brings back the online game. Online games such as Red Dead Online need a steady flow of updates to support the game, but it didn't get that during its initial run. While Red Dead Redemption 3 has a strong base to work off of when it comes to its story, it will take far more work for players to trust its online component. Of course, that's assuming Red Dead Online gets revived at all.
Although Red Dead Redemption 2 was highly successful, Red Dead Online's troubled update cycle saw it struggle to achieve the same acclaim. It did have RDR2's excellent gameplay and wide open world to work with, and its missions managed to capture the same energy as Grand Theft Auto Online's missions, both cooperative and competitive. While that part of the approach was sound, Red Dead Online never managed to keep up in terms of updates. Player interest turned to frustration as the game seemed to stagnate. In the end, updates ceased in 2022, after only three years of service.
Red Dead Redemption 3 Needs A Consistent Update Schedule
One of the questions revolving around the next game's development is the potential idea of Red Dead Redemption 3 having multiplayer features. If that does end up being the case, then it will need to tackle the issue of lackluster updates before anything else. At its heart, Red Dead Online already had many pieces that a successful game needs. There is a built-in fanbase thanks to the strong Red Dead name, and since gameplay is unlikely to drop in quality between Red Dead Redemption 2 and RDR3, that would likely need little tweaking as well. The main thing that Red Dead Redemption 3 needs to improve is consistency.
When Red Dead Redemption 3 is released, it needs a road map for its updates. A part of Red Dead Online's eventual closure was that there didn't seem to be a long-term strategy in place, with significant content updates few and far between. For the most part, Red Dead Online seemed to be going through the motions for the majority of its existence, which caused players to have less confidence in it as time went on. If Rockstar comes out with a clear list of plans that it follows through with, players will have a far easier time supporting Red Dead Redemption 3.
If Red Dead Redemption 3 manages to fix the issues that plagued Red Dead Online, it can easily surpass that game's peak. There is every opportunity for Red Dead Redemption 3 to improve on RDR2, and that's not solely restricted to the game itself. By helping fans believe in the game, it will undoubtedly have much more longevity than the original Red Dead Online, which never managed to improve its shaky relationship with players. Better, more consistent updates combined with regular, clear communication regarding updates and maintenance may be the key to making Red Dead Redemption 3 a success for Rockstar.
Red Dead Online unfortunately turned out to have a lot of missed potential compared to RDR2's grand success, but RDR3 doesn't have to repeat those same mistakes. A new Red Dead Online would face plenty of difficulties, and RDR3 has an intimidating legacy to live up to as it is. However, there is still a long time until Red Dead Redemption 3 will see the light of day, and Rockstar will have more than enough time to plan. With how good Red Dead Redemption 3 can be, hopefully it solves Red Dead Online's biggest problem.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
