85 million copies sold. That number alone should end most arguments, but when it comes to Red Dead Online, the debate refuses to die.
Red Dead Redemption 2 has officially crossed the 85 million sales mark, according to Take-Two's latest financial report, making it the third best-selling video game release of all time, overtaking Wii Sports on the all-time charts. For a game that launched back in 2018, that kind of staying power is hard to argue with.
Red Dead Online camp menu
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What Strauss Zelnick actually said
Speaking to IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick came out swinging against the idea that Red Dead Online represents a squandered opportunity. "There is literally nothing about Red Dead selling 85 million units that could signal a missed opportunity," Zelnick said. "And Red Dead Online has been immensely successful and long lasting."
Here's the thing: that framing makes more sense when you zoom out. The criticism of Red Dead Online has always been relative, not absolute. The mode pulled in roughly $500,000 per week nearly eight years after launch, according to data exposed in a recent Rockstar data breach. On its own, that is a real, sustained revenue stream. The problem is the comparison sitting right next to it.
The GTA Online shadow
GTA Online is generating around $9.5 million per week on average. That is not a typo. The gap between the two online modes is so wide that almost any western-themed multiplayer game would look underperforming beside it.
Zelnick acknowledged this directly. "I think if we didn't have Grand Theft Auto here at our company, then people would just talk about the fact that we have this massive franchise in Red Dead, which we do and of which we're very proud."
That is a fair point. Red Dead Online's perceived abandonment looks worse specifically because GTA Online continues to receive consistent developer attention and content. The comparison warps the perception.
Red Dead Online's last major content update was the Blood Money update in July 2021. Rockstar confirmed the following year it had shifted focus to GTA 6 and GTA Online.
The Strange Tales update and what it signals
Rockstar did break the silence on Red Dead Online with the Strange Tales of the West update, dropping new missions that caught the community off guard. Players reacted with genuine surprise, and the update sparked speculation about whether Rockstar might revisit the mode more seriously once GTA 6 is out the door.
For now, no official return to active Red Dead Online development has been confirmed. With GTA 6's release nearing, Rockstar's priorities are not hard to read. Whether Red Dead Online sees a second life after GTA 6 launches remains an open question, but the Strange Tales drop at least signals the mode has not been completely written off internally.
Blood Money update missions
Why 85 million matters beyond the argument
Setting aside the online debate, the 85 million sales figure is worth pausing on. Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most expansive adventure games ever made, and it has kept selling consistently for nearly eight years without a sequel or major remaster driving a second spike.
That kind of long-tail performance is rare. Most games see a sharp drop-off after launch. RDR2 has maintained commercial momentum through platform ports, sales events, and what appears to be genuine word-of-mouth staying power.
For players already in the world of RDR2, the Red Dead Redemption 2 guide collection covers everything from story missions to online role progression if you want to get more out of the game while the online mode's future sorts itself out.
