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Rockstar apologizes for buggy ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ PC launch
Red Dead Redemption 2 was one of the biggest console hits of 2018. After waiting a full year, PC gamers finally got a chance to play the gritty, Western-themed adventure when it was released last week. However, many experienced game-breaking bugs. Rockstar has apologized for the bumpy start and released fixes for many of the issues. Users who were unable to open Rockstar's launcher or the game application should be able to do so now, and some gamers who experienced glitchy gameplay should notice a big performance improvement.
‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ PC launch hasn't had the best start
Red Dead Redemption 2 finally launched on PC this week, but much like the escapades of the game's gunslingers, things haven't quite gone according to plan. Players have reported a raft of problems, including issues with the launcher, freezing and recurring crashes.
Watch the first trailer of ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ for PC
Red Dead Redemption 2 developer Rockstar Games has shared the first trailer for the upcoming PC release of the game, which showcases the open-world western running at 4K and 60 frames per second. It also offers a glimpse of some of the other graphical enhancements that the studio has built into the game. We detailed all those enhancements, as well as the game's minimum system requirements, in a post last week. The trailer is also a good showcase of what the game will likely look like on Stadia when it launches on November 19th -- provided your connection can stream games in 4K, of course.
‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ on PC will support 4K and HDR
When Rockstar Games announced last week that Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming to PC on November 5th, the studio said the new release would include a variety of enhancements. Now that game is available to pre-order, Rockstar has detailed those improvements. To start, you can expect support for both 4K and HDR, in addition to support for multi-monitor setups, widescreen resolutions and frame rates above the 30 frames per second the game targeted on consoles.
'Red Dead Redemption 2' will be a Google Stadia launch title
When Red Dead Redemption 2 comes to PCs in November, it won't just be available in conventional form. Rockstar has also confirmed that its open-world Western game will be available as a launch title for Google Stadia when it debuts the same month. In other words, you'll have the chance to play Arthur Morgan's saga (or Red Dead Online) on your tablet if you prefer.
'Red Dead Redemption 2' is coming to PC on November 5th
Rockstar's western opus Red Dead Redemption II is coming to PC on November 5th. According to the studio, the PC release of Red Dead Redemption II will include both technical and graphical enhancements, as well as new side missions and weapons. Rockstar also revealed that the game will be a Google Stadia launch title.
Rockstar isn't making single-player DLC for 'Red Dead Redemption 2'
You won't be thrilled if you're hoping for a single-player add-on for Red Dead Redemption 2. Rockstar's lead online production associate Katie Pica told VG24/7 in an interview that the developer is "100% focused" on Red Dead Online. She argued that Rockstar aims to put "everything a player can love" about solo play into the multiplayer experience, such as new activities, characters and events. RDR2's "absolutely massive" core narrative was proof the company cared about the single-player experience, Pica added.
Take-Two profits soar thanks to 'GTA' and 'Red Dead' online spending
Need further proof that Rockstar's online games are the cornerstone of its business these days? You just got it. Publisher Take-Two has reported that its profit jumped 39 percent year-over-year in the spring quarter to a hefty $540.5 million, and the in-game purchases for Rockstar's titles played a large role. Company chief Strauss Zelnick told Hollywood Reporter that GTA Online "actually grew" versus 2018, while Red Dead Online's early performance has "exceeded expectations." Games like NBA 2K19, the Borderlands series and Civilization VI helped, but it's no secret as to which ones were the biggest cash cows.
'Red Dead Online' is growing faster than 'GTA Online'
Now that Red Dead Online has had several months to build an audience, how is it faring? Quite well, apparently. During an earnings call, Take-Two chief Strauss Zelnick stated that the Red Dead Redemption 2 multiplayer component was "performing better" than GTA Online was at a similarly early point in its history. He didn't elaborate on the criteria (users? Money generated?), but it's a good sign for the company when GTA Online is still considered the cash cow.
‘Red Dead Online’ patch adds daily challenges
Rockstar Games announced today the first major patch for the online version of Red Dead Redemption. The update will bring Red Dead Online players new gameplay options to choose from, more weapons and clothing, and some tweaks made under the hood to make the overall experience more balanced. The update already available, so players should be able to download the patch immediately.
'GTA Online' cheat creator ordered to pay $150,000 in damages
Game publishers are still using lawsuits to take down cheaters, and their latest move could deal a particularly serious blow. A court has ordered Florida resident Jhonny Perez to pay $150,000 in damages (and $66,869 in attorney fees) for creating and sharing Elusive, a paid cheating tool for GTA Online that allowed infinite money and other cheats. Perez allegedly violated Take-Two Interactive's copyright, disrupted gameplay balancing, threw off its in-game purchase model and soured the experience for honest players.
Nintendo Switch outsold every other console in the US last year
Demand for the Nintendo Switch didn't cool down one iota in 2018. The NPD Group has published its sales data for last year, and the Switch was the top-selling system in the US both in terms of dollars and raw unit count, outpacing a previous record set by the PS4 in 2015. Things were even rosier in December -- the Switch had the best unit sales of any console for that month since 2010, and the best dollar sales since the Wii mania of December 2009.
The real Pinkertons aren't happy with 'Red Dead Redemption 2'
The Pinkertons loom large as virtual adversaries in Red Dead Redemption 2, but now they're involved in a very real legal tussle over the game. Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations has sent Rockstar Games a cease and desist notice claiming that RDR2 used the company's trademarks, including the Pinkerton's National Detective Agency badge, without permission. It also alleges that the game will "tarnish the reputation" of the trademarks by portraying the 19th century detectives as foes, according to court documents obtained by The Blast.
'Red Dead Online' gets a 32-player battle royale mode
Rockstar continues to expand the Red Dead Online beta, and its latest update will seem particularly familiar. The studio has added a Gun Rush mode that's effectively a one-for-one parallel to the battle royale modes you see in Fortnite, PUBG and numerous other titles from the past two to three years. You or your team have to scrounge for weapons while fighting to remain the last one standing in an ever shrinking play area. If there's a major difference, it's the scale -- with a maximum of 32 players, you'll probably finish rounds sooner than you would in the 100-player brawls that define other battle royale titles.
Here's what you can do in the 'Red Dead Online' beta
As promised, the Red Dead Online beta is starting to roll out -- and it's now clear just what you'll encounter if you join. Rockstar has posted details of what the beta entails, and it's clear this will be an evolving experience. Out of the gate, you'll have access to free roam missions (varying based on your reputation) as well a series of cooperative stories (A Land of Opportunities) if you're interested in fending off AI gunslingers. If you'd rather take down human cowpokes, there are competitive modes including straightforward shootouts, battle royale (Make it Count), bounty-based fights (Most Wanted), area control (Hostile Territory) and creative kills (Name your Weapon).
'Red Dead Online' beta test launches on November 27th
You're about to learn how well Red Dead Redemption 2 works as a multiplayer game -- as hinted back in September, Rockstar Games is launching the beta for Red Dead Online this week. Just when you can play will depend on how eager an RDR2 player you are, mind you. Anyone who bought the Ultimate Edition will get first crack on November 27th. After that, it depends on when you've played. People who've played RDR2 on November 26th will get to try Online as of the 28th, while those who played on the game's launch weekend (October 26th through 29th) can take their turn on the 29th. Everyone else will have to wait until November 30th.
'Red Dead Redemption 2' is the fastest-selling game that isn't 'GTA V'
Rockstar is fond of bragging that its games break records, and it's not about to be humble following the launch of Red Dead Redemption 2. The developer claims that its open-world Western set the record for the largest opening weekend in the "history of entertainment." It's not saying how many copies it sold, but the debut amounted to $725 million in worldwide retail sell-through (sales to actual customers, not stores) over three days. That's no mean feat for a sequel in a franchise that has typically played second fiddle to Grand Theft Auto.
'Red Dead Redemption 2': Separation of crunch and art
Four days before the debut of Red Dead Redemption 2, arguably the most high-profile video game launch of the year, the non-profit organization Take This sent out an email to its supporters and the media. "Crunch is yet again a hot topic in the gaming news," it began. "With the recent stories about crunch development there has been a renewed interest in Take This' 2016 white paper on crunch and many organizations have come to us for comment on the topic."
After Math: Paying more for less
The rent is too damn high unless you're living in a van down by the river, medical care routinely puts people into bankruptcy, gas prices are still floating around $3 a gallon nationwide and Senator Ted "Zodiac Killer" Cruz is worried that his six figure salary won't enable him to buy a second house anytime soon. Times are tough for everybody so one has to wonder why the companies below are seemingly trying to make things actively worse.
This funky new font is made up entirely of brands
A digital studio called Hello Velocity has created a typeface that embraces well-known corporate logos and is still somehow far less annoying than Comic Sans. The studio says it creates "thought-provoking internet experiences," and its Brand New Roman font is a clever statement on consumerism.
