'Red Dead Redemption 2' release date: Game to have multiplayer mode even as launch date remains unclear?

Sunshine Navarro Tuesday, June 28, 2016

"Red Dead Redemption 2" will reportedly boast of multiplayer functionality. | Red Dead Redemption

The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2016 came and went but not a single detail regarding "Red Dead Redemption 2" was shared, much to the fans' disappointment.

The E3 would have been the perfect venue to share more details regarding the highly touted sequel in the "Red Dead Redemption" series, and fans were hoping for a sneak peek, but there was none. This sparked speculations on the real reason behind the game's non-appearance at the expo.

Among the speculations was that the launch of "Red Dead Redemption 2" was due to the recent disastrous shooting incident that took countless lives in Orlando. Metro reported that much of the game's trailer included violent footages of a massacre in a saloon, where a lone character started shooting everyone.

Nevertheless, Adam Boyes, Third Party Relations & Developer Technology Group vice president at Sony PlayStation, downplayed the speculations and said there was never any intention on the part of Sony to unveil a new Rockstar game at E3. Check out his reply to a fan on Twitter:

Meanwhile, despite being noticeably absent in the last E3, there are indications that the game will still push through. According to reports, "Red Dead Redemption 2" will even feature a multiplayer mode.

A Reddit user named AnonDN1978 revealed that Rockstar has been working on the game for years now, even stating the names of the main characters who will be featured there. Apparently, the game will be called "Red Dead Redemption: Legends of the West." The main characters named Irish and Seth will make it their goal to look for hidden treasure. A third character may be used during "gang mode," and this will be fully customizable by the player.

The CEO of Rockstar, Strauss Zelnick, previously told VG247.com that the company only launches one franchise per year. If that's the case, and if the Reddit user's claims that "Red Dead Redemption 2" has been in development for the last 3 and a half years is true, then fans could expect the game to be unveiled by October.

However, until Rockstar provides an official release date, everything about the launch of "Red Dead Redemption 2" will be mere speculations.