Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive—parent company of Rockstar Games—has dismissed the notion that Red Dead Online was a missed opportunity, stating that the multiplayer mode has been “immensely successful and long lasting.”
Red Dead Online, the standalone multiplayer component of 2018's Red Dead Redemption 2, initially received major updates from Rockstar, but the last significant content drop was the Blood Money update in July 2021. Since then, the game has relied on monthly events, with the Strange Tales of the West update last year being a rare exception that briefly raised hopes for more substantial content, though none materialized.
Many fans feel Red Dead Online has not received the same level of attention as GTA Online, the multiplayer mode of 2013's Grand Theft Auto V. A recent Rockstar leak—resulting from a hacker data theft—revealed that GTA Online far surpasses Red Dead Online in revenue and player numbers. This came as no surprise to fans, who pointed out the lack of content updates and a persistent griefing problem in Red Dead Online.
In an interview with IGN ahead of Take-Two's latest financial report, Zelnick pushed back against the idea that Red Dead Online was a missed opportunity, highlighting the incredible sales of Red Dead Redemption 2. “So let me be clear,” he said, “there is literally nothing about Red Dead selling 85 million units that could signal a missed opportunity. And Red Dead Online has been immensely successful and long lasting.”
Zelnick added that perceptions of Red Dead would be different if not for GTA's massive success. “I think if we didn't have Grand Theft Auto here at our company, then people would just talk about the fact that we have this massive franchise in Red Dead, which we do and of which we're very proud,” he explained. “I actually personally think Red Dead is just amazing and I love engaging with it. And I think the reason it continues to sell is that it's just spectacular entertainment. It's beautiful and it feels very up to date despite the fact that it's not a new title.”
As part of Take-Two's financial report, it confirmed that Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold over 85 million copies, making it the third best-selling video game of all time, behind only Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto V (which has sold an incredible 230 million copies). While GTA V has sold 145 million more copies, Red Dead Redemption 2 remains one of gaming's biggest hits.
Despite this, the focus on GTA Online over Red Dead Online continues to frustrate fans. According to the data leak, Red Dead Online has nearly 1 million weekly players—a huge number for any game—but it remains a massive live service that lacks meaningful updates. The lack of a 60fps patch for modern consoles is another point of contention, as Red Dead Redemption 2 remains locked at 30fps on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S despite fan requests and rumors of an upgrade.
Speculation about Red Dead Redemption 3 persists. Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser said last year that a third installment “will probably happen,” and actor Roger Clark (Arthur Morgan) expressed certainty that fans will see it “one day,” though he had no timeline. Even actor Jack Black has weighed in, revealing which character he'd love to play in Red Dead Redemption 3.
For now, Rockstar's focus is on Grand Theft Auto 6. But once that launch and subsequent GTA Online updates are complete, the studio may revisit its iconic Wild West franchise—potentially with a new version of Red Dead Online.
