Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age.

America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed.

After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.

Built from the ground up for the latest hardware, Red Dead Online blends the classic multiplayer of the original Red Dead Redemption with the best of everything we have learned since then about creating deep multiplayer experiences. The result is something completely new and fun, and an experience that will continue to expand and evolve over time as we gain valuable feedback from our community in the Beta period.

Now that everyone has had a chance over the past month to experience the story of Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang in Red Dead Redemption 2, it is time to begin the beta period for Red Dead Online.

Built from the ground up for the latest hardware, Red Dead Online blends the classic multiplayer of the original Red Dead Redemption with the best of everything we have learned since then about creating deep multiplayer experiences. The result is something completely new and fun, and an experience that will continue to expand and evolve over time.

With the gameplay of Red Dead Redemption 2 as its foundation, Red Dead Online transforms the vast and deeply detailed landscapes, cities, towns and habitats of Red Dead Redemption 2 into a new, living online world ready to be shared by multiple players. Create and customize your character, tailor your abilities to suit your play style and head out into a new frontier full of things to experience.

Explore the world solo or with friends. Form or join a Posse to ride with up to seven players; gather around the fire at your Camp; head out hunting or fishing; visit bustling towns; battle enemy gangs and attack their hideouts; hunt for treasure; take on missions and interact with familiar characters from across the five states; or fight against other outlaws in both spontaneous skirmishes and pitched set-piece battles; compete with other players or whole Posses in open world challenges and much more.

This week Red Dead Online Beta invites players to get their hooks into the latest Free Roam Event: Fishing Challenge. Players can cast a line to compete against other anglers across Lakes, Rivers and Swamps, with whoever catches the most weight in fish being declared the winner.

This week’s Fishing Challenge is the first in Red Dead Online Beta’s Free Roam Event rotation, and details on upcoming Events can be found in the schedule included below, along with info on this week’s new limited time clothing, boosts and the latest free care package.

Today’s update brings a new Competitive Challenge to the Free Roam Event rotation with the Fishing Challenge – compete against others to catch the most weight in fish, with variations across 3 different body of water types: Lakes, Rivers and Swamps.

See below for a schedule of what’s still to come to the Red Dead Online Beta before our next full update:

• Today - Free Roam Event: Fishing Challenge
• March 26 - Target Races and additional PS4 early access content: Open Target Races
• April 2 - Showdown Mode: Up In Smoke
• April 9 - Showdown Mode: Plunder

On top of new gameplay, each week will feature different bonuses including XP boosts, discounts, care packages and more along with new limited time clothing coming in and out of the Wheeler, Rawson & Co. Catalogue. This week’s limited time additions to the Catalogue are:

• Gator Hat
• Woodland Gloves
• Ortega Vest
• Pelt Half Chaps

And this week enjoy a 30% XP boost on hunting animals, along with a Fishing Care Package that includes 5x Live Crickets, 1x River Lure, 1x Lake Lure and 1x Swamp Lure. All care packages can be received at either your Camp’s lockbox or the Post office.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is currently available for PS4 and Xbox One.