Is Red Dead Online free to play?

Red Dead Online is a massive part of the Red Dead experience, the whole Western frontier realised in multiplayer for people to enjoy and fight against together. But is Red Dead Online free, and what prices might people have to pay to get the full experience?

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Is Red Dead Online Currently Free?

Red Dead Online, the multiplayer component of Red Dead Redemption 2, can not be bought for free without also buying Red Dead Redemption 2’s single-player campaign for money. However, if you already own Red Dead Redemption 2, the Online mode also comes bundled with it for no extra expense.

Alternatively, if players don’t own RDR2, they can buy the Online mode for a reduced price. You won’t get any of the single-player content, but from most sellers it’s less than half the price of the full game. It’s currently available on most major digital storefronts, but there’s no physical copies of just the Online available to buy at time of writing.

Is There a Battle Pass for Red Dead Online?

While there’s no permanent DLC for Red Dead Online, it does have seasonal “battle passes” that allow players to earn new items, rewards and in-game abilities and options. While the rewards earned for completing these progress tracks are permanent, you do have a limited time to complete each one.

Players can also spend real money to buy Gold Bars, a currency spent on certain abilities and items in-game, as well as unlocking the special jobs and roles in-game, such as Bounty Hunter and Trader.

That being said, players can earn Gold in-game in a bunch of ways and not have to spend a penny. If you want to know how to farm Gold in Red Dead Online, check out our guide on that. Alternatively, find out all ways you can know how to get the Bounty Hunter license, so you know what you’re getting yourself into.