Red Dead Online Summer Update: What You Need To Know

The Red Dead Online Summer Update is finally here but what are the biggest changes to the game?

Like a lot of you that will be reading this, I’ve been part of Red Dead Online since Rockstar first launched the beta and like a lot of you I’ve dipped in and out of the game after the novelty of each update has run its course and worn off. Now don’t get me wrong here, considering the state of the game when it was initially released, where we were before yesterday’s new additions were pretty impressive. Rockstar had taken a game that was barren at best and added more and more things for you to do to the point that it was fun to play, but it still lacked a certain something. It just didn’t seem to have anything in it that would make you come back to the game, time and time again.

Rockstar announced a few weeks ago that it would be dropping a huge summer update that would change the landscape of Red Dead Online and that news was enough to pique the interest of a lot of lapsed players like myself but could they deliver? Well, having spent a few hours back in the Wild West since the 11 GB file installed I have to say that it looks like they weren’t lying. So, what are the most important additions to Red Dead Online? Read on to find out.

Red Dead Online Summer Update: What You Need To Know

Frontier Pursuits

Red Dead Online Frontier Pursuits is the most significant and most important change to the game since it first saw the light of day. It’s Rockstar’s way of adding classes to it and taking it down a more traditional MMORPG route, but in all my time of playing online games, I don’t think it’s ever been done in such a fun manner. I won’t go into too much detail in regards to each role here as I intend to be covering them in a separate guide over the next few days. However, I suffice to say it doesn’t matter if you choose to be a Bounty Hunter, a Collector, or a Trader, the path you choose will make the whole Red Dead Online experience seem brand new. These new roles alone are worthy of you booting up your copy if you haven’t in a while and heading back into Rockstar’s Wild, Wild, West. Just don’t go breaking any laws or the Bounty Hunter Jane Doe will be coming for you.

Wheeler, Rawson & Co. Club

This is something that every one of us gets for free when we log into Red Dead Online, and as a lot of the new additions to the game cost a lot of gold, then it’s quite a useful little club to be part of. This means that between September 10th and November 18th you’ll be able to gran new clothing, accessories, a special gun wrap, some bonus cash, a free care package, a brand new mote, as well as a new flag for your camp and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The only thing it doesn’t come with is a cuddly toy, but maybe you need to upgrade to our next entry to get that.

Outlaw Pass

As a member of the Wheeler, Rawson and Co. Club you’ll be given a chance to upgrade your package from standard with the Outlaw Pass but be warned, at 35 gold it isn’t cheap. It does, however, offer you a lot more than the entry-level option such as exclusive clothing, flashier styles for your guns, more trinkets for your campsite, even more, free cash, as well as special vouchers. However, the best of all is that if you manage to work your way through all 70 levels that come with it, you’ll make a bonus 35 gold, meaning that the Outlaw Pass pays for itself.

New Free Roam Events

The free roam events in Red Dead Online can be quite fun at times, but unless you’re good enough to take on other players in whichever one you choose, then they are normally quite frustrating. After all, there’s only so many times you can join a game and get killed within the first 15 seconds before it gets old. But if this is your bag, you’ll be happy to know that Rockstar has included four new free roam events and they seem to be class-specific. They are:

• Manhunt
• Day of Reckoning
• Trade Route
• Salvage

These can only be unlocked through progression in your chosen field, but as you’re going to be leveling up anyway, then it isn’t that much of a chore.

New Dynamic Events

This is something that I’ve, personally, been hoping that Rockstar would sort out for quite a while now and even though I’ve yet to experience one because I’m spending all my time bounty hunting at the moment, it can only be an improvement on the standard fare. There are only so many times that you can help someone who’s horse has died, fight off a stick-up, or rescue some idiot who’s gotten themselves kidnapped before you want to ride on past the next stranger that tried to flag you down.

More Store Items

It seems that Rockstar has decided that if you’re going to earn money the,n you might as well spend the money and has added more items than you can shake a muskrat at. This includes everything from new beards and hairstyles, to new weapons and clothing, and all points in-between, meaning that you really don’t have an excuse for hoarding all that cash and you sure won’t have one for not looking your best as you roam the plains.

A Lot Of Fixes And Improvements

Yeah, when I say a lot, I do mean a lot. It seems as if the little programming elves at Rockstar have been hard at work, sorting out and fine-tuning every aspect of the online experience. From getting rid of those horrible bugs that could make advancing in the story mode almost impossible to making it so that if someone shoots at you, you now know where it’s coming from. And that’s just the start. It looks like they’ve given the whole engine an overhaul at it already seems to be making a difference. I swear that they’ve even gone so far as to changing the weather system and making something that was already mind-blowingly impressive seem more realistic than anything that’s come before it, outside of real weather.

New Passive Ability Cards

Nine new passive ability cards came along with the new update, what they are and what they do is as follows.

• Sharpshooter: Using a scope means you deal more damage and take less.
• Kick In The Butt: Taking damage adds a little to your Dead Eye.
• Live For the fight: You regenerate Dead Eye over time.
• Friends For Life: While on your horse, you both take less damage.
• Fool Me Once: Less damage is taken each time you are shot. Effects end if you aren’t shot for 10 seconds.
• Iron Lung: Your Stamina regenerates faster, and you take less damage.
• Strength in Numbers: You take less damage when near an ally, up to a maximum of three allies.
• Gunslinger’s Choice: Duel wielding means you deal more damage and are more accurate.
• Ride Like The Wind: While on your horse, any damage you do or receives will add to your steed’s Health and Stamina.

**The last three on this list are PS4 Early Access.**

PS4 Early Access

To go along with the three Early Access cards in the previous entry, Rockstar has some other goodies that those of us that play with Sony’s console will receive before everyone else. They are:

• American Foxhound Camp Dog.
• Shoot The Sky Emote.
• Carrigan Hat.
• Burnham Boots.
• Avery Gloves.
• Butcher’s Table.
• $250 For Playing Between Now And October 14th.

And if you have the Ultimate Edition, you’ll receive access to all of that, and you won’t have to pay for the two new horses that you unlock through the Bounty hunter progression. All this means that there has never been a better time to saddle up once again and head off into Rockstar’s Red Dead Online.