Red Dead Online A “Missed Opportunity”? No Way, Take-Two CEO Says
Red Dead Online, the multiplayer component of Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2, continues to face questions about its commercial performance and ongoing support. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick rejected characterizations of the game as a “missed opportunity,” citing Red Dead Redemption 2’s exceptional sales figures as evidence of the franchise’s success.
The base game has sold 85 million copies and recently became the fourth best-selling video game of all time, surpassing Wii Sports. However, Red Dead Online has not achieved the sustained commercial dominance of GTA Online, its more successful multiplayer counterpart.
Red Dead Online launched in 2018 and received substantial content updates in its early years. Support gradually diminished, with Rockstar halting major updates in 2022 to reallocate development resources toward Grand Theft Auto 6. The game now receives only minimal ongoing support compared to the consistent expansions that GTA Online continues to receive.
While Zelnick maintains that Red Dead Redemption 2 represents a commercial success overall, industry observers counter that Red Dead Online demonstrates that replicating GTA Online’s formula does not guarantee comparable results. The shift in resource allocation underscores Rockstar’s prioritization of GTA 6 development over sustained Red Dead Online expansion, reflecting broader strategic considerations about where development investment yields the greatest returns.