Red Dead Online Roles releasing next week, as Rockstar drops new info about the game's biggest update yet

You may have heard that Rockstar is bringing role-playing to Red Dead Online, via an ambitious expansion that also acts as a statement of intent for the studio's long term plans with Red Dead Redemption 2's multiplayer component. 

Well, we have good news; Red Dead Online's roles (or the first three, at least) will be releasing as early next week on PS4 and Xbox One, as part of a free update for the game that also overhauls and streamlines several of its most important systems and mechanics. 

The hotly incoming update introduces the Collector, Bounty Hunter, and Trader Roles to the online world of Rockstar's Wild West, all of whom have their own themed missions that can players can follow through the game's new series of role-playing quests called Frontier Pursuits. 

Completing these Frontier Pursuits is the best way to unlock each Role's exclusive range of skills, cosmetics, and gameplay opportunities, which is all tracked through Red Dead Online's new progression system of Role XP, Ranks, and Tokens. 

In addition to this, Rockstar's latest update also brings a number of gameplay tweaks and hot fixes to Red Dead Online, including a new Defensive playing style, more Ability Cards, Challenges, and Dynamic Events, and the ability to redesign your character’s appearance without resetting progress. 

The Red Dead Online update releases for all existing owners of Red Dead Redemption 2 on Tuesday, September 10, and Rockstar has all the details - including the full list of skills available with each Role - available to read on its Newswire here. 

For more, check out the best Red Dead Online weapons to use in the Wild West right now, or watch our Release Radar video for a guide to everything else out this week.