Red Dead Online Domain Registered

Take-Two, parent company of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption developer Rockstar Games, has registered the domain name "redead.online.com." The registration was spotted by Twitter user Bill Wright and a WhoIs search lists the owner as Take-Two.

The URL currently redirects to a Rockstar Newswire post featuring the artwork released on October 17. It's worth noting that domains can easily be registered by anyone and, in most cases, a publisher will secure a domain to keep others from doing so. The fact that RedDeadOnline.com has been registered isn't definitive confirmation of its existence.

Nevertheless, Grand Theft Auto 5's biggest success has been its multiplayer component, GTA Online. In April, as part of former Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies' $150 million lawsuit against Take-Two, it's was revealed that GTA Online has generated "at least" $500 million in revenue from microtransactions.

Using GTA Online's gameplay and business model for more Rockstar Games franchises--such as Red Dead--would no doubt be of interest to Take-Two. Rockstar has been teasing something new related to Red Dead for the past few days. On October 16, the studio's Twitter, Facebook, and official website switched to a Red Dead-themed logo, then the image showing seven cowboys was released a day later.

It has been speculated that a new entry in the series will be announced soon. Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Rockstar's parent company, previously told investors to think about Red Dead as a "permanent" franchise like Grand Theft Auto, so a new Red Dead is inevitable. Given the success of GTA Online, it would make sense to have a similar online component for the new Red Dead title too.

Of course, Red Dead Redemption had its own online multiplayer mode, which had some open-world gameplay. Players could create a posse and roam around the Wild West assaulting gang bases, hunting wildlife, or soaking in the scenery.

In May, Take-Two teased that Rockstar would announce a new game "soon," but said the project wouldn't launch until April 2017 at the soonest.

Rockstar is also working on mysterious new IP. On October 17, Take-Two Interactive also filed a new trademark application for something called "Ghost Story."