Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Release Date & Features: 10 Things to Know

Rockstar has finally confirmed Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC and here’s what you need to know right now if you want to play the game on a Windows computer.

The rumors were true. Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar Games’ hit game from 2018, is making its way to the Windows PC nearly a year after it debuted on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

With the game now confirmed for launch, Rockstar’s outlined some of the key details PC users need to know about the game’s launch.

With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know, right now, about the Red Dead Redemption 2 PC release date, specs, features, editions, pre-order, and more.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Release Date

You don’t have to wait much longer to play Red Dead Redemption 2 on a Windows PC.

The Red Dead Redemption 2 PC release date is confirmed for November 5th, just ahead of the holiday season.

Rockstar also says the game is coming to Google Stadia sometime in November. It will be one of the new cloud service’s launch titles.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Pre-Order Dates

If you’re interested in pre-ordering Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC, note that there are actually two pre-order dates for the highly anticipated game.

The first pre-order date is on October 9th. If you want to pre-order on the 9th you’ll need to do so via the Rockstar Games Launcher.

Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-orders will be exclusive to the Rockstar Games Launcher until October 22nd. After that, the game will go on sale at various retailers around the globe.

How to Buy Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC

Once the exclusivity period ends, Rockstar says you’ll be able to find the game at an assortment of well-known retailers.

The list currently includes Epic Games store, Green Man Gaming, the Humble Store, and GameStop, but we expect others like Amazon and Walmart to sell the PC version of the game on their stores as well.

You can expect the game to come in both physical and digital formats and you can read about the pros and cons of each in our guide right here.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Editions

Red Dead Redemption 2 will come in at least two formats including Special, and Ultimate. As of right now, the Special Edition is actually the base version of the game. Both editions come with bonus content.

For more on the differences between the editions, take a look at our rundown.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Pre-Order Bonuses

If you pre-order a copy of Red Dead Redemption 2 via the Rockstar Games Launcher, you’ll get a bonus.

The company says if you pre-order before the exclusivity period ends, you can get two of the following Windows PC games for free:

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

Rockstar says you’ll also get the following pre-order bonuses if you buy via the launcher:

• 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

For more on these items, take a look at our guide.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Specs

Red Dead Redemption 2, like all PC games, will come with minimum and recommended hardware requirements. Rockstar’s confirmed them and they look like this:

Red Dead Redemption 2 Minimum Specifications

• OS: Windows 7 – Service Pack 1.
• CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-6300.
• RAM: 8GB.
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 2GB or AMD Radeon R9 280 3GB.
• Storage: 150GB.
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Recommended Specifications

• OS: Windows 10 – April 2018 Update.
• CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X.
• RAM: 12GB.
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB.
• Storage: 150GB.
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible.

The game will most likely be unplayable on PCs that don’t meet the minimum spec requirements. If your machine falls below the recommended requirements, you’ll likely have to make some adjustments to the game’s performance in settings in order for it to run smoothly.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Download Size

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a huge game and it will require a massive download. We don’t have the exact size yet, but here’s what you can expect based on the download size for Xbox One and PS4 and the game’s requirements.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is approximately an 88.56 GB download on the Xbox One. It’s a little bit bigger for the PS4 and requires a 92GB download.

The minimum and recommended specs note that you’ll need at least 150GB of storage available in order to install the game. That’s not the exact file size, but it gives you some idea.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Features

The game should closely mirror the console version though Rockstar says it will feature “a range of graphical and technical enhancements for increased immersion along with new Bounty Hunting Missions, Gang Hideouts, Weapons and more.”

The company also says Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC includes free access to Red Dead Online featuring all previously released improvements and the latest updates for the online experience.

Recent updates include Frontier Pursuits and the specialist Roles of Bounty Hunter, Trader and Collector.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Deals

Rockstar’s already confirmed one Red Dead Redemption 2 PC deal.

The company says pre-orders that are made via the Rockstar Games Launcher include free upgrades to the Premium Editions of Red Dead Redemption 2, with both the Special Edition and Ultimate Edition discounted by $20 each.

With the game headed to shelves ahead of the holiday shopping season, don’t be surprised if we see some discounts during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and in December with the best deals coming in 2020 once the hype from the release has died down.

When to Expect More Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Details

The company hasn’t outlined everything just yet and you can expect more Red Dead Redemption 2 PC details to emerge on October 9th.

Rockstar says it will release the first screenshots and additional information about the release.

You can expect the developer to sprinkle in other information as we approach the game’s release in November.

Pre-Order for These Bonuses

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If you pre-order a copy of Cyberpunk 2077, you'll get some nice bonuses with your order. Everyone who pre-orders a copy of the game will get a collection of physical and digital items. Here's what you can expect if you buy a copy before the game's release date in December: Physical Items Case with game discs World Compendium detailing the game's setting and lore Postcards from Night City Map of Night City Stickers Digital Items Game soundtrack Art booklet featuring a selection of art from the game Cyberpunk 2020 sourcebook Wallpapers for desktop and mobile There are also some unique pre-order bonuses through retailers like Google, GameStop, and GOG.  If you pre-order through GameStop you get a Samurai Medallion. The retailer says this offer is only available to PowerUp Rewards Members. If you pre-order through GOG you get an exclusive digital game booklet, additional wallpapers and avatars, print quality posters, and 30% off official Cyberpunk 2077 merch store. If you buy the game for Google's Stadia, you'll get a Stadia Premiere kit ($100) for free.  The deal lasts until December 17th though it's only available until supplies last. The Stadia Premiere kit includes a Chromecast Ultra, a white Stadia controller, and a one-month trial for Stadia Pro if you don't have it already. If you pre-order the game via Steam you'll get a short story written by the developer's Story Lead, Tomasz Marchewka called 2AM — She Calls. If any of these sound interesting to you, think about pre-ordering a copy.

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