A new Red Dead Online update appeared out of the blue in July 2025, marking the game's first major content drop in years. The release caught many fans off guard and even sparked speculation that Rockstar may have additional plans for Red Dead Redemption 2 and its online component in the near future.
Rockstar supported its live-service Western game with regular content updates for nearly four years after its 2018 launch. In July 2022, the company announced it was winding down development on Red Dead Online and no longer planned to release major updates. This decision came as Grand Theft Auto 6 was already deep into development, with Rockstar presumably aiming to reallocate more staff to the project.
Related Red Dead Redemption 2 Could Be Getting a Big Upgrade This Year
It seems as though the beloved Red Dead Redemption 2 is in line to get a big upgrade at some point later this year.
PostsThree years later, it would appear that Rockstar's definition of a "major" update may not align with that of its player base, as Red Dead Online has just recently received a fairly substantial patch at the beginning of July 2025. Called Strange Tales of the West, the update introduces four additional Telegram missions for players to undertake, in addition to kicking off a new event with limited-time challenges and rewards. Best of all, it's entirely free.
Red Dead Online's New Mission Is a Throwback to Undead Nightmare
CloseThe new missions are presented as supernatural investigations commissioned by one Theodore Levin, an author interested in unexplained phenomena. The standout among them is "Strange Tales of the Plague," which sends players into a zombie-infested version of Armadillo, a small settlement in the Cholla Springs region of New Austin. Both the premise and execution of this mission are reminiscent of Red Dead Redemption's Undead Nightmare, which is still widely regarded as one of the best expansions Rockstar ever made.
Rockstar Teasing More Red Dead Online Content
The inclusion of zombie-themed content has sparked some isolated calls on social media for Red Dead Redemption 2 to receive its own version of Undead Nightmare. But six years after the game’s launch, such a development appears highly unlikely. Red Dead Online, however, now seems all but certain to receive additional content, with the strongest indication being the title used in some of Rockstar’s promotional materials for the July 2025 update: "Strange Tales of the West Volume 1."
When exactly Volume 2 might arrive is unclear. Rockstar’s renewed focus on Red Dead Online comes as a surprise, especially given recent reports that the studio has shifted into an all-hands-on-deck mode for GTA 6. In a broader context, one possible explanation for the new content may be the rumored next-gen patch for Red Dead Redemption 2 and RDO, which has supposedly been in the works for a while now and may materialize in the second half of 2025, according to a May report by Gamereactor.
