Red Dead Online leaves beta with new co-op missions, guns and fishing contests

RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 came with an epic single-player story, and the promise of multiplayer fun down the road.

Read Dead Online arrived in beta shortly after launch and new content has been trickling in ever since.

As well as new missions, characters and game modes, the game itself has changed a bit since launch too.

Player feedback has seen some serious changes to player-versus-player combat to make the wild west a little less wild.

Today's update brings a huge change to that, with a new Defensive mode that will opt you out of many PvP activities, and make you immune to other players' melee attacks, lassos, or even being targeted with auto-aim.

Players attacking anyone with defensive mode on will also get bigger bounties put on their head by the in-game hostility system.

You will also take less damage than normal when in defensive mode -- and won't be penalised for shooting back if someone does decide to try and start something.

Another big change for player-versus-player gunfights is the removal of auto-aim for headshots -- you'll still get an assist to lock onto their body as you start to aim at them, but you'll have to aim manually if you want to hit anywhere specific.

Some new less aggressive PvP modes are coming too, in the form of fishing, herb gathering and bird shooting contests between posses.

Gold payouts have been upped across the board, with some activities offering twice as much as they did before, so you'll have more to spend in the store if you want a sweet new hat, horse or gun.

There are new rewards to spend that gold on too, with everything from ponchos to a new dual-fire pistol on offer.

If you're looking to earn a quick buck, then you'll be glad to know that Hold ’Em poker tables are now open across the world.

You can set-up invite-only games with friends or sit down at one of the public tables. These have a high buy-in, but also higher payouts.

New characters are dropping into the world, and bringing new stories and missions with them.

You can battle the Del Lobos gang, help save Valentine -- or you can join in a less-than-honourable highway robbery and bank heist.

Rockstar also teased a few changes coming down the road too, with the option to play as a Bounty Hunter, Trader or Collector promised this summer.

"Players will have the option to focus on a specific role to advance quickly and unlock each role’s unique attributes, or simultaneously progress across multiple roles as you play naturally to create your own unique character and path through the frontier," according to Rockstar.

Read Dead Online doesn't have nearly the population or Twitch viewership that GTA Online does, but before it left beta it did have more players .

You can find out more details about today's updates and the future plans over on the .

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