Red Dead Redemption 2 Comes To PC and Google Stadia Next Month

Rockstar Games has officially confirmed that Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming to PC and will be released on November 5, 2019. Rumors of a PC version have been floating around for a while now, but Rockstar and parent company Take-Two executives have been very coy in discussions about it. But we now know it really is on the way (as is a Google Stadia version) and with visual improvements and new content.

Rockstar says the PC version of Red Dead 2 will feature improvements to take advantage of the hardware--"a range of graphical and technical enhancements for increase[d] immersion" will be available if you have a capable PC. Screenshots and system requirements for the PC version will be shared on October 9. [Update: As promised, Rockstar has delivered these details and more, detailing the required specs, sharing more about the new content and graphical improvements, and revealing the first screenshots of Red Dead 2 on PC.]

Beyond a better-looking game, there will also be new content in story mode. This will consist of new bounty hunting missions, gang hideouts, weapons, and "more." Red Dead Online will also be included with all of the content available in the PS4 and Xbox One versions.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Steam Version Coming Later

Red Dead 2 will be available through several different PC retailers, but not Steam, at least initially; it'll be released there in December. Pre-orders will begin through the Rockstar Games Launcher on October 9 and will include special bonuses if you purchase by October 22.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Pre-Order Bonus Games

Not long after debuting the Rockstar Games Launcher on PC, the company will now have a major game to help push it. While it will not be exclusive to the launcher, it is the place where you'll find the most robust array of pre-order bonuses.

In addition to the free game you can already get by installing the launcher, pre-ordering Red Dead Redemption 2 will net you two free games from the following list:

• Grand Theft Auto III
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• Bully: Scholarship Edition
• LA Noire: The Complete Edition
• Max Payne 3: The Complete Edition

Rockstar also notes that "free upgrades" to Red Dead 2's premium editions are available by pre-ordering; the Special edition and Ultimate edition will each be $20 off their regular prices (international pricing is not available yet). Whichever version of Red Dead Redemption 2 you pre-order through Rockstar, you'll also receive the following pre-order bonuses:

• Outlaw Survival Kit for story mode
• War Horse for story mode
• Treasure map for story mode
• Cash bonus for story mode
• 50 gold bars for Red Dead Online

Pre-orders for Red Dead Redemption 2 begin on October 23 through Epic Games Store, Green Man Gaming, Humble Store, GameStop, and other retailers. If you opt to pre-order through those retailers, your bonus comes in the form of 25 gold bars for Red Dead Online.

The Road To Red Dead Redemption 2 On PC

In June 2019, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said launching Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC would be a "layup." He added, "There is no downside to releasing the game on PC."

The first Red Dead Redemption was not released for PC and this was somewhat of a sore spot for Rockstar Games fans on the platform. However, given the massive success of Red Dead Redemption 2, as well as the fact that it has an expansive multiplayer mode in Red Dead Online, a PC release for the sequel has felt like an inevitability.

Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar's previous release, was also made available on PC well after the initial console launch. Its accompanying multiplayer game, GTA Online, has been incredibly lucrative and both Rockstar and Take-Two will no doubt be hoping Red Dead Online performs similarly.

Red Dead Redemption 2 has shipped over 24 million copies, making it one of the most commercially successful games in history. Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 are also two of the best selling PS4 games of this generation, according to NPD. GameSpot's Red Dead Redemption 2 review praised it as an "excellent prequel" with an "emotional, thought-provoking story."