GTA 6 Has Red Dead Online Players Concerned For Game’s Future

As Grand Theft Auto 6 draws nearer, fans continue to wonder what plans Rockstar has in store for its inevitable online component, as well as what GTA’s future may mean for Red Dead Online. Indeed, it’s been fantastic to see both franchises thrive individually, but as excitement continues to ramp up for one, with Grand Theft Auto 6’s release date being less than eight months away, the other is likely to suffer.

In response to a Reddit post from user Downtown-Path-8959, fans have discussed the poor state of Red Dead Online and how there is a low likelihood of it receiving new major updates due to Grand Theft Auto 6. Unfortunately, it seems as if anyone who’d love to see Red Dead Online thrive will be sorely disappointed, and it’s unknown if it will ever be given the attention it once had.

What Happens To Red Dead Online When GTA 6 Launches?

It’s a testament to how engrossing and immersive Rockstar’s role-playing games are that legions of gamers are still devoutly invested in Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online, the multiplayer components of Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, respectively.

Logically speaking, user kendahlj believes that Rockstar “will do whatever is financially viable for them to do,” with many other users arguing that Grand Theft Auto 6 will and should be the developer’s main priority for the foreseeable future.

Read Dead Online Players Aren’t Being Super Optimistic

In a world where two of the most revered and successful game franchises are made by the same developer, no matter how many different studios/teams Rockstar has, it is agonizing being a fan of both Red Dead and Grand Theft Auto. As will be the case going forward with CD Projekt Red’s Witcher and Cyberpunk IPs, Red Dead and Grand Theft Auto games won’t be released simultaneously, and thus fans of one franchise will be forced to wait for a new entry while the other franchise is being catered to.

Red Dead Redemption 2 launched in 2018, with Red Dead Online following a year later, and the mammoth development of Grand Theft Auto 6 has since withdrawn resources from Red Dead Online to accommodate it. Therefore, with Grand Theft Auto 6 presumed to be receiving its own iteration or adaptation of Grand Theft Auto Online, fans aren’t wrong to believe that Red Dead Online might be left to collect dust, even if its Strange Tales of the West missions were briefly exciting.

Reddit user demanufacture79, for example, says that they “fully believe they are not touching it again in terms of new content,” while user XRosesxThornsX plainly states that “Red dead is just that, Dead.” Only time will tell if Rockstar means to return to Red Dead Online meaningfully, but it may take until Red Dead Redemption 3’s own launch for that to happen.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to be released for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 19, 2026.