GTA Online's latest update, The Contract, reintroduced players to some of their favorite single-player characters - Franklin and Lamar. This reunion was immensely popular amongst the GTA community and got me thinking... how could Red Dead Online do the same?
A trip down memory lane
Being reunited with some of your favorite characters is always an incredibly nostalgic experience and Rockstar delivered this with ease in The Contract. Red Dead Online has a few characters from the single-player campaign, most notably Sean Maguire, but nothing on the scale of working alongside Franklin Clinton of GTA 5.
For many, the characters of Red Dead Redemption 2 were hugely important in creating such a gripping storyline, and many quickly became fan favorites. The release of an update involving any of the major Van der Linde gang members would be the perfect revival for Red Dead Online's current state.
'Son's of Dutch makes us brothers'
Red Dead Online is set in 1898, a year before the single-player storyline. At this time, the Van der Linde gang is currently living somewhere around Blackwater keeping largely to themselves - although some questionably moral work is never off the cards. Players could be introduced to the gang by Sean Maguire and be able to visit their camps, play games together, and (most importantly) work alongside some of the members.
Fan favorites including Arthur Morgan and John Marston could offer work such as scoping out robberies in Blackwater, as well as missions where you would actually be accompanied by these characters - similar to GTA Online's new content, 'Short Trips' or 'Double Down'. Working alongside some of the story characters would be an incredible way to tie the two modes together, after all, players are living in the same world as the gang, at the same time.
A Land of Opportunity
Each single player character has their own unique lifestyle that would provide a perfect variety of content for Online players. Here's a list of some of the activities that could be added to play alongside Van der Linde gang members:
- Arthur Morgan - Robberies
- Hosea Matthews - Hunting
- Javier Escuella - Rustling
- Revered Swanson - Gambling
- Uncle - Rustling
And of course... Dutch Van der Linde - Plan making...
In all seriousness, it would be great to see a new 'business' run by players and Dutch - similar to 'F. Clinton and Partner' in GTA Online. Our characters are the perfect fit for Dutch's plots and schemes, having spent the last three years getting up to all sorts of mischief across the five states.
Creating Attention
The effect of introducing some of the major story mode characters into Red Dead Online would be huge coverage within the gaming world. The likes of Arthur Morgan and John Marston are legendary characters in gaming and any new content involving them would make a huge impact - after all, who wouldn't want to see Roger Clark or Rob Whiethoff put on their boots once more?
This update would be a guaranteed success within the Red Dead Online community, whose members have had to sit and watch Franklin arrive in the world of GTA Online, whilst wondering when (if ever) they will have the chance to go robbing with Arthur...
