Red Dead Redemption 2’s online component has officially gone into beta, so it’s time to saddle up and conquer the wild west. If you want to form your own posse and begin terrorizing the populace you’re going to have to wait a little bit. Like the single-player component, Red Dead Redemption Online has a pretty lengthy prologue.
In order to unlock playing online with friends, you will need to first complete the entire prologue. This includes designing your character, completing a treasure hunt, and then stealing a bunch of horses. The latter is the last quest you have to finish before the online function is enabled for Red Dead Redemption Online. However, you can play this quest with three random users via the in-game matchmaking.
After you return to camp a short cinematic will play explaining the features of Red Dead Redemption Online. You will now be able to invite players or join others in all of the activities that this component offers. To invite your friends, hit left on the D-Pad to bring up the Player menu. From here you can:
- Invite friends or nearby players
- Form or join a posse
- Quick join missions
- Manage online options
Since players can rob and steal others – even during missions – we strongly recommend forming a group. Additionally, the entire map will be available from the start so don’t worry about having to unlock certain portions. However, you are not required to play with others and can partake in the various quests by yourself.
It’s a dangerous world out there, so make sure to always watch your back when you’re exploring.