Recent Red Dead Online Survey Results
A recent survey conducted across the Red Dead Online Hub network revealed that almost 45% of those that had previously played Red Dead Online, say that they no longer play the game.
A total of 1,074 players responded to the question "Are you still playing Red Dead Online?", with the following results:
- YES: 602
- NO: 472
That's 44% of respondents who previously played Red Dead Online now no longer choosing to log in. Considering the lack of support from Rockstar Games it is unsurprising to see such a decline in the game's player base.
Nonetheless, it speaks volumes of the dedication of the community to see 54% of players still enjoying the game, even without the game having received a new DLC for close to 2 years. Time and time again, players have demonstrated to Rockstar Games their immense passion and support for Red Dead Online, and it is a shame they haven't been rewarded.
It's important to note that these respondents are following pages dedicated to Red Dead Online, so are more representative of a more dedicated portion of the game's player base - it is fairly safe to expect that this percentage would be even higher amongst casual players.
The Decline of RDO Player Count on Steam
These results replicate the decline in players visible on Steam. Since the release of Red Dead Online as a standalone game, the player count has declined - this decline was most substantial following the release of the Blood Money DLC and the lack of content thereafter.
Nowadays, the player count rarely reaches above 3,500, compared to an all-time peak of 18,400 following its launch and 6,800 following the Blood Money DLC.
Rising Player Count for RDR2 Story Mode
Interestingly, Red Dead Redemption II saw its highest player count on Steam earlier this year, reaching an all-time peak of 70,787 over four years since its launch. The demand for a current-gen console update is high, yet Rockstar Games are still holding off - despite GTA V receiving its Expanded and Enhanced version last year.
You'd have expected Rockstar Games to have taken a slightly more positive approach to a game of such undeniable quality, however, Red Dead Redemption II has remained almost untouched since October 2018.
Despite this, the game performs well each month and is still selling well - a testament to how sensational a job Rockstar's developers did in creating an exceptional open-world and compelling story.
The future: Up or Down?
With Red Dead Redemption II player counts breaking records even over four years after launch, it's hard to predict what the future has in store for the series. Red Dead Online is unlikely to see a drastic increase in players unless Rockstar Games decide to revert some resources back to the development of future DLCs.
If the community has shown anything, it's that they are incredibly passionate and have stuck by Online through month after month of no communication or content from Rockstar Games. We can only hope that Red Dead Online and Red Dead Redemption II receive the attention they deserve - perhaps as development wraps up on GTA 6, some resources can be freed up.
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