Red Dead Redemption 2 PC's Steam Release Won't Come Until Later

Ahead of its release on PC, Rockstar recently released a new Red Dead Redemption 2 PC trailer. After a year-long wait, the PC version of Red Dead 2 finally launches tomorrow, November 5. It will be sold through a variety of storefronts (which have been offering pre-orders for weeks now), including Rockstar's own and the Epic Games Store. However, a Steam version of Red Dead 2 won't be available right away. It is confirmed for the platform and is coming in December, but beyond that window, we don't have an exact release date. We'll report back as we learn more, but in the meantime, check out the video below for some impressions of what it's like to play Red Dead 2 on PC.

Rockstar Games has officially announced that Red Dead Redemption 2 is finally coming to PC on November 5, but you'll have to wait a while if you want to have it in your Steam library. Red Dead 2 will release on that date through a number of different digital storefronts, including Rockstar's recently launcher PC game launcher, but a Steam version will follow in December. A more specific release date for that version has not yet been announced.

The late release is notable, given that Rockstar's PC games have typically launched on Steam. However, this isn't a case of Epic Games Store exclusivity, although Epic's storefront is among those that will sell Red Dead 2 PC at launch in November.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Pre-Order Bonus Games

If you pre-order Red Dead 2 PC from the Rockstar Games Launcher from October 9-22, you'll get a selection of two free Rockstar PC games from the following options:

• Grand Theft Auto 3
• GTA Vice City
• GTA San Andreas
• Bully
• LA Noire
• Max Payne 3

This is in addition to the free copy of GTA: San Andreas for downloading the launcher itself by October 8. There's also an array of other pre-order bonuses available, including some bonuses for story mode and 50 gold bars for use in Red Dead Online, the game's online multiplayer components.

Then on October 23, other digital retailers will offer pre-orders as well. Those include the Epic Games Store, Green Man Gaming, the Humble Store, and GameStop, among others. Those retailers offer a pre-order bonus of 25 gold bars for Red Dead Online. And, as noted above, it will also be available on Google Stadia as a launch title. Check out our full Red Dead Redemption 2 PC pre-order guide for more info.

The Steam version of Red Dead Redemption 2 will follow in December, roughly a month after it launches on other digital storefronts. It's unclear if that version will offer the same 25 gold bar pre-order bonus as other storefronts or not.