Two games from Rockstar Games — its two newest games — are free for PS5 and PS4 users with PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium subscriptions until November 20. In other words, essentially free until the launch of GTA 6, which will release on November 19. Rockstar Games is not a studio that pumps out games, so its two newest games, discounting re-releases and experimental VR releases, are actually 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2 and 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V.
Both of these games have been free with PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium since earlier this year. Unsurprisingly, once GTA 6 is out, Rockstar Games not only wants all of its focus on those titles, but it’s likely looking for GTA 6 to spike interest in its catalog and spur the sale of many copies from this catalog. To this end, you’d expect GTA 5 and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy to be the primary beneficiaries of this, but RDR2 will no doubt reap the benefits of being Rockstar Games’ closest game to the biggest release in entertainment history. Rockstar Games has not confirmed this is the strategy, so this is technically speculation. It did recently confirm that GTA 6 is bringing back a feature from Grand Theft Auto IV, as well as a substantial upgrade from GTA 5.
With exactly one month, both Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 5 can be beaten, but it may be difficult to see and experience all of the content of each. The primary content of Red Dead Redemption 2, though — the campaign and the side content — runs at about 85 hours. 50 hours of this is the story, while 35 hours is core side content. Completionists, though, will need more like 200 hours with the open-world western. GTA 5 isn’t as intense in this regard. Its main campaign is about 30 hours. Add in side content, and the playtime runs to about 50 hours. And then completionists will need more, like 90 hours, with the open-world crime game.
Once both games’ free periods with PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium end, subscribers at these tiers will need to pay to access the games like Essential subscribers do right now, as well as any non-subscribers on PS4 and PS5. GTA 5 runs at $40 on the PlayStation Store, while Red Dead Redemption 2 costs $60. To this end, those who can fit both games in before the November 20 deadline will effectively save $100.
In a lot of ways, there’s more RDR2 in GTA 6 than GTA 5, and it’s an entirely different experience. To this end, those who can only swing one should go with the former, especially if they are going to roll straight into GTA 6.
