Rockstar has finally revealed when Red Dead Redemption 2's online multiplayer mode will launch: it will initially debut tomorrow, November 27. But in order to prevent Red Dead Online's servers from collapsing due to high demand, Rockstar will have a gradual rollout that starts exclusively with owners of the game's Ultimate edition (which, as luck would have it, is still on sale for Cyber Monday).

When you're able to play the beta depends on the version of the game you have or when you actually started playing the game. The first group of people that will be able to play the game are those that purchased the Ultimate Edition. Anyone who has that version will be able to jump into the beta from November 27 at 8:30 AM ET / 5:30 AM PST / 1:30 PM GMT / 12:30 AM AEDT (November 28).

The next group of people to be given access is anyone who played the game on October 26 (that's Red Dead Redemption 2's launch day). If you're one of those people, you can head online on Wednesday, November 28. If you played the game between October 26 and October 29--according to Rockstar's data--you'll be able to join the fun from November 29.

Finally, public access to Red Dead Online will be available to anyone that owns Red Dead Redemption 2 from November 30. This rollout method will help Rockstar "ease into the beta and to mitigate major issues." The studio is being very candid about potential performance issues, saying that the beta is "the first step in what will be a continually expanding and dynamic world."

As such, Rockstar is expecting the "inevitable turbulence of launching any online experience of this size and scale" and it is asking the Red Dead Redemption 2 community to report any issues and share their feedback so that Rockstar can shape the experience with them in mind.


Red Dead Online Start Dates And Times

• Tuesday, November 27: All Red Dead Redemption 2: Ultimate Edition owners from November 27 at 8:30 AM ET / 5:30 AM PST / 1:30 PM GMT / 12:30 AM AEDT (November 28)
• Wednesday, November 28: All players who played Red Dead Redemption 2 on October 26th according to Rockstar's data
• Thursday, November 29: All players who played Red Dead Redemption 2 between October 26th to October 29th according to our data
• Friday, November 30: All players who own Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 earned a 9/10 in GameSpot's review, with Kallie Plagge saying it "is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done."

"While Red Dead Redemption was mostly focused on John Marston's story, Red Dead 2 is about the entire Van der Linde gang--as a community, as an idea, and as the death rattle of the Wild West. It is about Arthur, too, but as the lens through which you view the gang, his very personal, very messy story supports a larger tale."