Red Dead Redemption 2 gets official Rockstar farewell ahead of GTA 6

Red Dead Redemption 2 is officially bid farewell in the latest Red Dead Online update as Rockstar moves on from the sandbox western and GTA 5 to work on GTA 6

Red Dead Redemption 2 gets official Rockstar farewell ahead of GTA 6: a cowboy, John Marston from Red Dead Redemption 2, stands in a moonlit field

Red Dead Redemption has been officially bid goodbye in the new Red Dead Online update, as Rockstar appears to sunset the sandbox western, alongside GTA 5 and GTA Online, while it moves full production onto GTA 6.

The new Red Dead Online update adds extra telegram missions and a variety of quality of life and bug fixes to the otherwise neglected online shooter, with players able to experience some fresh new material following the game’s last substantial DLC pack, Blood Money, from July 2021. The latest Red Dead Redemption 2 patch also adds a sneaky new note to the credits screen, accessible via the game’s pause menu, which seems to confirm that Rockstar is finishing with Red Dead as it moves its staff to work on GTA 6.

“A link to the credits has been added to the pause menu,” say the patch notes from the new Red Dead Online update. This new link displays a message: “Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped create Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online”. The tone certainly seems similar to the message that recently appeared on a new “thank you” page on the GTA 5 and GTA Online official site, where Rockstar states “we want to acknowledge and thank everyone who has contributed to these games, from their original launch in 2013 all the way through to present day”. Speculating on the GTA 6 release date, rumours, and facts, it’s likely that an announcement regarding the new Grand Theft Auto is imminent, with Rockstar offering a heartfelt farewell to its biggest games before moving on.

Red Dead Redemption 2 players have recently experienced a range of glitches and cheaters in the online game, with the new update offering fixes for some but not all of the issues reported. There is also evidence, via a hidden cutscene buried in the game’s files, that the RDR2 single-player mode may at one time have had a very different story as compared to the full release.

If you’re ready to move on from Red Dead Redemption 2, you might want to try some of the other best sandbox or best western games on PC. Alternatively, check out our guide to all the legendary animals, if you’re still not prepared to ride off into the sunset.