The “free update” of Red Dead Redemption on Xbox generates confusion and serious problems

The optimized version of Red Dead Redemption for Xbox Series is not a free update.

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The arrival of the new list of Red Dead Redemption for Xbox Series has caused a real flood of doubts in the community. In the last few hours, several users have reported that, despite having the digital game since the Xbox 360 era, the store only offers them the option to buy the new version. This has led to speculation that it was a temporary error… until a support message from Rockstar made the situation much clearer.

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The email, shared by several players, directly explains that the optimized version for Xbox Series is an independent purchase and not a free upgrade for the original Xbox 360 edition, although both are backwards compatible and share a base.

Why doesn’t the update work? Rockstar details the differences between versions

New response from support:

For now, take the responses with a grain of salt, as we don’t know if support is fully aware of the intricacies of the new edition:

• They thank the user for contacting them and apologize for the problems they are experiencing.

• They explain that the free update for Red Dead Redemption is only available to those who purchased the original digital version of Xbox 360.

• This offer does not apply to physical editions or to disc versions of PS4 or Xbox.

• In the Microsoft Store, this update appears as a new and separate product, and digital owners must search for the version marked as “free for owners” within their account to obtain it.

• For PlayStation, the process is different and may require paying for the update, although in some cases it may be free depending on the specific conditions of that offer.

The community is still waiting for a final clarification

On Reddit, many players claim they expected to receive the free update because they purchased the digital version years ago. Other users explain that the new version appears as installable from the Xbox app, but cannot be executed without paying.

• The general atmosphere is one of frustration. Some compare the situation to what happened with Gears of War Ultimate Edition, where some users did receive a free update and others did not. The difference in licenses and packages is again causing confusion.

For now, Rockstar has not issued a public statement beyond the support messages. If there is any change or clarification on the update policy between versions, we will update the information.

Meanwhile, and according to the official support message, everything indicates that the Xbox Series version of Red Dead Redemption is an independent product that requires a purchase, even if you already owned the game on Xbox 360.