Red Dead Online’s Beta Is Ready to get Hostile

Since its launch in November 2018, Red Dead Online’s beta has consistently received updates from Rockstar Games. Many of the updates have been smaller in scope, but the next major changes are soon to come. They’ll arrive in the form of a Spring update, set to launch later in the season and on an unspecified date. However, Rockstar is willing to specify exactly what Red Dead Online players can expect–“The Hostility System” and “Offensive and Defensive Playing Style Options.”

The Hostility System serves as an attempt to evolve the “anti-griefing measures” implemented in Red Dead Online’s February update. The crux of the system is a stable of new features that improve upon immersion in PvP and confrontational situations. On its blog, Rockstar provided the following example as to how this will all work out:

For example, players who have damage inflicted on them by attackers will be able to defend themselves without incurring Bounties or Hostility increases. Previously, the attacker and target would be marked as an enemy – now the attacker who inflicts damage will be immediately marked as an enemy to the attacked player; players will not accumulate Hostility increases for killing other players who are marked as an enemy.

Another note worth mentioning is that a player’s Hostility won’t rise in “structured events,” i.e., Free Roam Events, Showdowns, and Races. Yet, if a player participating in a Free Roam Mission attacks someone not involved in that particular activity, the aggressor’s Hostility level will increase.

Red Dead Online’s Spring update will also benefit those not interested in the PvP experience. For players who only want to explore and experience Red Dead Online in peace, Rockstar is introducing Offensive and Defensive Playing Style Options. Rockstar offered the following breakdown regarding what these two play styles entail:

The Offensive Playing Style is much like the current Free Roam play as we know it while the Defensive Playing Style is a more evolved version of the Passive Mode concept, designed for Red Dead Online’s more grounded experience – giving players more flexibility in how they interact with the world and at the same time de-emphasizing hostile contact with other players.

Other additions that will feature in the upcoming update include more A Land of Opportunities missions, new Free Roam Mission types and mission givers, and dynamic events. The latter will allow players to fight off ambushes, defend people in need of assistance, and initiate rescue missions.

[Source: Rockstar Games]