If you want to play Red Dead Redemption 2 from the time it’s released for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, you’ll need to pre-order and pre-download a very special version of the game.
The Red Dead Redemption 2 release date is only a few days away, which means final release details are in place. The game’s massive download size has now been confirmed, and Rockstar has confirmed a pre-load for those who want to get in on the action as soon as possible.
The Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-load was confirmed at 12:00 PM on Friday, October 19th, giving Xbox One and PlayStation 4 players a chance to skip the long download times on the game’s October 26 release date.
If you want to play Red Dead Redemption 2 as soon as possible, here’s how to install the game before it’s released.
Pre-Order Red Dead Redemption 2
If you want to pre-load Red Dead Redemption 2 before its release date, you’ll need to pre-order any digital version of the game.
You can pre-order Red Dead Redemption 2 from a variety of vendors, but be sure to pre-order the version that suits you and your budget.
If you pre-order a physical copy of Red Dead Redemption 2, you must pick up your copy from a local store on the night of October 25 or wait for delivery on October 26.
PS4 version of the game Includes two game discs.
Open area
If you plan to pre-install Red Dead Redemption 2, you will need a ton of free space on your internal or external storage.
The Red Dead Redemption 2 download is huge. Xbox One players face the 88GB download, while PS4 owners face the 89GB download.
If you’re running out of space on your hard drive/drives, you’ll want to delete games, apps, and saves you no longer need to get into your files and free up space.
How to Preload Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS4
Again, the PS4 Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-load starts on Friday, October 19 at 12 PM Eastern time.
When the clock strikes midnight on the East Coast, your PlayStation 4 will automatically start downloading the game if you have automatic downloads enabled. Here’s how you can enable automatic downloads on your PS4:
After doing this:
Once this is complete you will want to put your PS4 in Rest Mode. To do this, hold down the PS button on your controller and select Enter Rest Mode.
After doing this the power indicator on your PlayStation 4 will turn orange and you should be ready to preload the game Friday night/morning.
Like game updates, automatic downloads sometimes fail, so you’ll want to log in before the Red Dead Redemption 2 release date to make sure the game is fully downloaded. If something goes wrong, you have to manually preload the game.
To do this, turn on your PlayStation 4 and go to PlayStation Store. The easiest way to find Red Dead Redemption 2 would be to do a search in the store.
If you pre-ordered, you should be able to install it from the game center.
How to Preload Red Dead Redemption 2 on Xbox One
Preloading works the same on Xbox One. The boot should start automatically, but if it doesn’t, you should be able to manually install the game from the Red Dead Redemption 2 hub.
First, you need to make sure your Xbox One has an internet connection and you’re using the Always Connected power option. Always Connected means your Xbox One goes to sleep instead of shutting down completely.
After doing that you will need to turn on automatic downloads. To do this:
This will allow your Xbox One to download games and apps while the device sleeps.
Sometimes automatic downloads may not work (we’ve experienced this many times on Xbox One X), so you’ll want to check to make sure the game is downloaded correctly.
If not, you need to find the Red Dead Redemption 2 hub in the Store. If you pre-ordered the correct version of the game, you should be able to install it manually from there.