Red Dead Online's First Major Update Now Live; Includes New Modes, Gear, And More

Red Dead Online, the online multiplayer component for Red Dead Redemption 2, is getting its first huge update. The patch includes new weapons and clothing, new gameplay elements, balance changes, and a host of other features. Some of the new features will roll out today, while others are targeting the coming weeks.

Starting today you can complete daily challenges for gold nuggets and XP. You'll have seven daily challenges that rotate every day. Completing all seven in one day will get you a bonus. You can also pick up a new Rare Shotgun weapon, and PlayStation 4 players will get the first crack at a new Jawbone Knife.

Then from next week, you can compete with other Posses in a new Free Roam event called Fool's Gold. One player will wear a protective suit of Golden Armor, and taking them down will give you armor and points, plus damage reduction to take on the enemy.

Sometime further in the future, Rockstar plans to begin dropping new modes each week. Target Races will have you race against other players on horseback while pinging targets with your bow and arrow and limited bullets. Fishing challenges pits you against your friends for the biggest cumulative catch, so you'll have to strategize if you target the biggest fish in the lake or try to rack up smaller, easier ones. Three new Showdown Modes--Up In Smoke, Spoils of War, and Plunder--are coming soon too. PlayStation 4 players will be first to get a Special Series option that launches them directly into the latest modes as they become available. Xbox One will get the feature afterward.

Also coming soon will be the Evans Repeater weapon, along with new outfits and individual clothing items like boots, coats, gloves, hats, and vests. You can also use a variety of new emotes, and emotes will have another level of intensity that you can activate with a double-tap.

Gameplay changes taking effect starting today include an update to player radar and visibility, with the option to limit proximity chat and a highlight over particularly aggressive players. It will also be easier to start a Parley or a Feud, and the law and bounty system has been revised.

If you log in to Red Dead Online anytime before March 5, you'll get a free pack of goods delivered to your Camp Lockbox or Post Office. That includes two Potent Snake Oils, two Potent Bitters, two Potent Miracle Tonics, two Horse Revivers, two Potent Horse Stimulants, eight Poison Arrows, and 10 Explosive Slugs.

If you haven't jumped into Red Dead Online yet and these changes are tempting you to give it a go, you can saddle up for almost half-price right now. Walmart has Red Dead 2 on sale for $35, making it cheaper than ever to explore the Wild West.