Rockstar Unveils Red Dead Online Missions, RDR2 Buzz Grows

Red Dead Online is showing renewed vibrancy as Rockstar introduces fresh missions to the game, fueling fan speculation about a potential next-generation update for Red Dead Redemption 2.

Many had accepted that Rockstar shifted focus from Red Dead Online in 2022, but the developer has now surprised players with the "Strange Tales of the West" update, featuring four new missions and hints of future content.

The newly released trailer marks Rockstar's first for Red Dead Online since 2021.

Here’s the official description:

Theodore Levin, an author, struggles to believe the rumors and dispatches arriving from across the American frontier. He’s compiling an anthology of these unexplained and eerie phenomena and seeks your assistance in investigating the most extraordinary accounts that reach him.

"Strange Tales of the West" will challenge your courage and resolve as you face the bizarre, twisted, and outright supernatural. Begin these four Telegram Missions by collecting Mr. Levin’s letter from any Post Office or your Camp Lockbox, then opening it via your Satchel or launching Telegram Missions from your Player Menu.

The four missions are Strange Tales of The Plague, Strange Tales of Modern Science, Strange Tales of The Bayou, and Strange Tales of The Wilderness. As shared by @videotechuk_ on X/Twitter, the update also includes a new zombie-infected mode, with the first mission set in Armadillo.

Rockstar has launched a new zombie "infected" mode in Red Dead Online as part of the new Strange Tales of The West telegram missions

The first mission takes place in Armadillo and the main objective to kill infected and bring them to a wagon as a team.

Infected carry knives. pic.twitter.com/TC9uOuIDEI

— ben (@videotechuk_) July 1, 2025

Fans are still processing the news, with social media and Reddit buzzing with excitement.

HOLY SHIT ITS REAL
byu/Apprehensive-Cry4399 inRedDeadOnline

Everyone after the news
byu/Master100017 inRedDeadOnline

What does this mean for Red Dead Online and its parent game, Red Dead Redemption 2? Given the zombie-themed content, some speculate whether Rockstar is planning an Undead Nightmare-style expansion for Red Dead Redemption 2. While surprising amid the studio's all-hands focus on next year's Grand Theft Auto VI, a next-generation port seems more feasible.

In May, GameReactor reported that a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Rockstar's Wild West adventure is in development, alongside a "next-gen upgrade patch" for current-gen systems (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S). Both may launch later in 2025, according to sources.

Players have long requested an updated version of Red Dead Redemption 2, widely regarded as a masterpiece. IGN’s Red Dead Redemption 2 review awarded it a perfect 10/10, describing it as "a meticulously polished open-world tribute to the outlaw era."

For now, Red Dead Online enthusiasts are diving into "Strange Tales of the West," labeled as Vol. 1, suggesting more content is on the horizon. Whatever lies ahead, Red Dead Online appears to be making a surprising comeback.