What is the difference between Red Dead Redemption 2 normal and Ultimate?

As a hardcore fan who has sunk over 200 hours into Red Dead Redemption 2, I get asked a lot – "should I buy the Ultimate Edition or stick with the normal one?"

Well cowpokes, saddle up because this is the ultimate guide to answer that question once and for all.

Additional Story Mode Content

First up, let‘s lasso the exclusive story add-ons that the Premium Edition offers over the regular version of this Western epic.

The Blackrose Bounty Hunter Outfit

This dark and intimidating getup makes protagonist Arthur Morgan look like he means business. Perfect for when you have to capture a bounty target while striking fear into the hearts of outlaws everywhere.

The Copperhead Enforcer Outfit

The rattlesnake styling of this outfit enhances Morgan‘s lethal qualities. Great for stealth missions or just making a stylish impression as you ride into town for some whisky.

Special Assignments – Treasure Hunts, Robberies & Gangs

Exclusive missions let you search for treasure caches, rob privileged aristocrats, or battle unique gang hideouts. These fun side activities add variety and lore not seen in the normal campaign.

Rockstar doesn‘t reveal exactly how much extra playtime this new content adds, but estimates I‘ve seen from players range from 2 to 5 hours.

That may not seem like much for $40 more, but it does let you extend your stay in Rockstar‘s impressively detailed world.

Online Bonuses – Rank, Weapons, Campsite & Horse

Now let‘s move from the single player experience to the Red Dead Online multiplayer component.

The Ultimate Edition nets you these online perks:

The biggest benefit here is the massive rank boost to 25. With the standard edition, you normally start at the very bottom rank of 1.

Red Dead player LW902 shares just how important a high starting rank is:

"It gave me a huge leg up with gear, ammo and weapon options for PvP. By rank 25, most of the essential combat and travel upgrades were unlocked which made gameplay far less tedious until I organically ranked up more."

So if you care about multiplayer competition, the Ultimate Edition will make that grind to the top tier items and abilities much quicker.

The other perks like the exclusive horse and weapons are nice cosmetic bonuses on top. Though not game-changing, they do let you stand out from the normal crowd.

Is the Ultimate Edition Worth $40 More?

So should you pony up the extra $40 for the Red Dead Redemption 2 Ultimate Edition? Let‘s recap the key factors:

• Additional story playtime – You get around 2 to 5 hours of extra special missions and side content
• Enhanced Online Progress – A starting rank boost saves dozens of hours working your way up, essential for competitive players
• Exclusive Cosmetics – Special outfits, weapons, mounts and campsite themes let you stand out

For casual players happy with just experiencing the epic 50+ hour main storyline, I think the standard edition is sufficient. However if you plan to also dive deep into the online world of Red Dead for hundreds more hours, I feel the Ultimate Edition bonuses can be worthwhile.

Especially when you compare the overall scope and quality of Red Dead Redemption 2:

• A massive 105GB game file size filled with ultra HD assets and a giant interactive world
• Approximately 2000 NPC characters that bring its gritty Western setting to life
• A thundering musical score performed by a 130 piece orchestra
• 300,000 animations for nuanced character and wildlife movements
• An estimated $540 million budget that took over 7 years to develop, pushing modern gaming boundaries

Given the sheer monumental effort Rockstar poured into this title, $40 for some extra story content and online unlocks seems reasonable to me for diehard fans who‘ll play this open world cowboy simulator for months or years.

So in closing cowfolks, choose the regular edition if you just want to finish the brilliant main campaign. But if you plan on putting that beautiful black hat of yours to work hunting bounties online for a long while, the Red Dead Redemption 2 Ultimate Edition offers enough value to justify saddlin‘ up $40 more.

Now get on out there, brush down your noble steed and ride off in search of epic Western adventures – happy trails!