Red Dead Online beta starts staggered release tomorrow

The Red Dead Online beta begins tomorrow with a staggered release, The Verge reports.

Red Dead Redemption 2's multiplayer mode kicks off at 1.30pm UK time on Tuesday, 27th November for all buyers of the Ultimate Edition of the game.

On Wednesday, 28th November, all those who played the game on its launch day (26th October) can join the beta.

Thursday, 29th November, the beta opens up to anyone who played during the launch weekend (26th to 29th October).

And finally, on Friday, 30th November, any Red Dead Redemption 2 player can join the beta.

The beta lets you create and customise a character, tailor your abilities and set out into the game world, which is the entire world of Red Dead Redemption 2, including the New Austin area. You'll meet wandering NPCs, hunt animals and enjoy other bits and bobs from the single-player game, minus the solo missions of course. The beta also lets you set up a gang, riding with up to seven players.

Here's the official blurb:

"With the gameplay of Red Dead Redemption 2 as its foundation, Red Dead Online transforms the vast and deeply detailed landscapes, cities, towns, and habitats of Red Dead Redemption 2 into a new, living online world ready to be shared by multiple players. Create and customise your character, tailor your abilities to suit your play style, and head out into a new frontier full of things to experience.

"Explore this huge world solo or with friends. Form or join a posse to ride with up to seven players; gather around the fire at your camp; head out hunting or fishing; visit bustling towns; battle enemy gangs and attack their hideouts; hunt for treasure; take on missions and interact with familiar characters from across the five states; or fight against other outlaws in both spontaneous skirmishes and pitched set-piece battles; compete with other players or whole posses in open world challenges and much more."

Red Dead Online launches in beta form a month after Red Dead Redemption 2 came out (for more on that, check out our review). Red Dead Online has been described by Rockstar as "a new online connected experience set against the backdrop of Red Dead Redemption 2's enormous open world".

Rockstar has also said to anticipate some initial issues at launch - it is a beta, after all: "As with most online experiences of this size and scale, there will inevitably be some turbulence at launch," it said. "We look forward to working with our amazing and dedicated community to share ideas, help us fix teething problems and work with us to develop Red Dead Online into something really fun and innovative."