Red Dead Redemption 2 gets a free tie-in app to help you on your way

Red Dead Redemption 2 Companion App

Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of – if not the – most anticipated game of 2018, and it finally lands on Friday 26 October. But while the sheer scale of the giant open-world Western game may be daunting to some, it looks like we'll be getting a bit of help from the developers along the way.

A blog post by Rockstar Games announced the official Red Dead Redemption 2 Companion App (opens in new tab) for iOS and Android devices, which will connect directly to your PS4 or Xbox One console while running the game. 

The free app will show up the in-game map, and allow you to "set waypoints or mark areas of interest with a tap on your screen, aiding your exploration and discovery through the expansive world of Red Dead Redemption 2". 

You can also use the smartphone / tablet app to read your in-game journal, display character stats and information in real-time, and even remove the game's HUD from the TV entirely for a more cinematic feel.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Companion App

The long road home

The announcement comes in the midst of increased scrutiny of Rockstar's working practices, after reports of 100-hour working weeks for members of staff at peak periods in Red Dead Redemption 2's development.

The companion app is likely to prove a boon to gamers wanting a more immersive experience with Red Dead Redemption 2 – seeing as it can separate the more technical stats and navigation features of the game from the visual gameplay – though we doubt you'll miss it if you decide to go without, unlike what you can do with the bevy of Red Dead Redemption 2 cheats.

Henry St Leger

Henry is a freelance technology journalist. Before going freelance, he spent more than three years at TechRadar reporting on TVs, projectors and smart speakers as the website's Home Cinema Editor – and has been interviewed live on both BBC World News and Channel News Asia, discussing the future of transport and 4K resolution televisions respectively. As a graduate of English Literature and persistent theatre enthusiast, he'll usually be found forcing Shakespeare puns into his technology articles, which he thinks is what the Bard would have wanted. Bylines also include Edge, T3, and Little White Lies.