Rockstar Games surprised fans by releasing a fresh update for Red Dead Online on July 1, 2025, introducing zombies, robots, and other eerie new content under the banner Strange Tales of the West Vol. 1. This marks the first significant update for the cowboy MMO since 2022 and hints at more spooky adventures to come.
The update adds four new Telegram missions featuring undead plagues, fire-arrow-shooting robots, swamp creatures, and cultists. Players will engage in tasks like collecting infected zombie corpses in Armadillo, avoiding infection zones, and investigating strange happenings with the help of a character named Theodore Levin. There is even a zombie “horde mode” where teams must kill infected enemies and transport their bodies to a wagon.
While the new content channels the spirit of the beloved Undead Nightmare expansion from the original Red Dead Redemption, it is important to note this is not a full sequel or major DLC. Instead, it’s a small but welcome diversion with fresh lore and gameplay twists. The update’s title, Vol. 1, suggests Rockstar plans to release more volumes of unusual and supernatural missions in the future.
This update has reignited speculation about a possible next-gen remaster of Red Dead Redemption 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and the rumored Nintendo Switch 2 port, which could arrive later in 2025. However, Rockstar’s main focus remains on the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI, expected in May 2026.
For now, Red Dead Online players can enjoy the new creepy missions, special event bonuses like triple payouts on Telegram missions, and a free Rebellion Poncho for logging in during July’s event month.
