Rockstar's killing "major themed content updates" for Red Dead Online as it focuses on GTA 6

Rockstar has announced that it's "making some changes to how we support Red Dead Online," including the end of "major themed content updates" as it moves development resources toward GTA 6.

In a new blog post, Rockstar says that "over the past few years, we have been steadily moving more development resources towards the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series - understanding more than ever the need to exceed players’ expectations and for this next entry to be the best it can possibly be - and as a result, we are in the process of making some changes to how we support Red Dead Online."

Red Dead Online will continue to receive monthly events highlighting various activities in addition to "seasonal special events and experience improvements," as well as expansions to existing modes and new Telegram Missions.

However, Rockstar says it will only deliver these smaller updates "rather than delivering major themed content updates like in previous years."

Players have been unhappy with the state of the game for some time, launching the #SaveRedDeadOnline campaign and making enough noise to provoke a response from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, who said "I've heard the frustration."

Fans had even been making plans to host an in-game funeral for Red Dead Online on July 13, and while that might've seemed premature a few days ago, many are now convinced that this is the final nail in the coffin for the game.

Some larger updates are still coming to GTA Online, including a major expansion for for several criminal careers, and new contact missions casting you as an IAA field operative. That update is due to launch "in just a few short weeks," alongside nerfs to homing missiles, more convenient ways to get at snacks and armor. Rockstar says more "experience updates" will be coming throughout the summer.

"We’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Rockstar Games community for their unmatched enthusiasm and support," Rockstar said in the tweet attached to today's news.

Now might be the time to start looking for more games like Red Dead Redemption 2.