Red Dead Redemption 2 is Rockstar Games' western set in 1899, released on consoles in 2018 and on PC in 2019. Its own multiplayer mode, Red Dead Online, stopped receiving major content updates in 2022, when Rockstar shifted resources toward the next Grand Theft Auto. Since then a large share of the game's multiplayer life has moved to RedM, the multiplayer framework from Cfx.re, the same team behind FiveM, which Rockstar acquired in 2023.

RedM lets communities run their own Red Dead Redemption 2 servers on PC with custom scripts and rules, and almost all of them are roleplay servers. This guide covers what separates a good frontier town from a frustrating one.

Living in 1899

On a RedM server you play one character with a name, a past and a reputation. Legal lives include ranching, hunting and trapping, running a saloon or a general store, working as a doctor or wearing a deputy's badge. Outlaw lives mean robbing coaches and trains, running moonshine or riding with a gang. Horses, camps, telegrams and long rides between towns set a slower pace than modern city roleplay, and many players come to RedM exactly for that.

Many servers ask you to keep your language and behavior true to the period, so no modern slang and no talk of things your character could not know. The familiar roleplay rules apply too: no random killing, no using information from outside the game, and no forcing outcomes on other players without giving them a chance to respond.

What to Look For in a RedM Server

Whitelisted or Open

Serious servers usually require an application through Discord, often with a written backstory, and sometimes a short interview. That keeps out players who only want to shoot people in Valentine. Open servers let you ride in straight away, which is easier for a first look but tends to mean looser roleplay. Decide which you want before you start writing applications.

Framework and Custom Systems

Most RedM roleplay servers are built on a community framework such as VORP or RSG, which handles characters, money, jobs and inventories. What a server adds on top is what sets it apart: crafting, farming and ranching systems, player-run businesses, bounty boards, newspapers. Custom work is a sign of a team that develops rather than one that installed a default pack and stopped.

Frontier Economy and Supporter Perks

A healthy frontier economy pays honest work well enough that not everyone turns outlaw. Check whether ranching, hunting and crafting are worth your time, and whether shops are run by players. If the server sells supporter packages, they should buy queue priority or cosmetics, not money, rare horses or weapons.

Rules, Lore and Staff

Good servers publish clear rules on robberies, hostages, horse theft and how a fight has to start, and they explain how death works for your character. Then they enforce those rules through staff who answer reports quickly. Read a server's rules before you apply; they show you exactly what kind of story it wants to tell.

Population, Time Zone and Language

A frontier town needs people in it at the hours you play. Many servers are built around one language or country, so check what is spoken in voice chat, when the server is busiest and whether a full server makes you wait in a queue.

Getting Started

You need the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 and the RedM client. Shortlist a few servers, join their Discord, read the rules and finish any application before your first ride. Start with an honest job, learn the towns and let other characters pull you into their stories. The ranking below lists the Red Dead Redemption 2 servers players vote for here. Vote for the town you ride in - rankings start again every month, so the list follows where the frontier is busiest now.