In Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2), making money is a crucial aspect of the game as it allows you to upgrade your gear, buy supplies, and maintain your character’s lifestyle in the Wild West. There are many ways to earn money in RDR2, from completing missions to hunting for treasure and even robbing trains. Whether you’re looking to make a quick buck or build a fortune, the game offers various methods to fatten your wallet.
In this article, we’ll explore the best ways to make money in RDR2, from straightforward methods to more creative approaches that can help you accumulate wealth quickly and efficiently.
1. Complete Story Missions and Side Quests
One of the most reliable ways to earn money in RDR2 is by completing story missions and side quests. These quests not only advance the plot but also reward you with cash for your efforts. As you progress through the game, many missions will involve bounties, robberies, or helping characters in exchange for financial rewards.
a. Main Story Missions
Main story missions often involve larger payouts, especially as you get deeper into the game. Major robberies, such as train heists and bank jobs, can yield significant sums of money, and you’ll often have choices that affect how much you can take from these missions.
b. Stranger Missions
In addition to the main story, Stranger Missions offer side quests that provide smaller payouts. These are typically quick and easy to complete, offering anywhere from $10 to $100 depending on the mission. Although the payouts are smaller, completing multiple Stranger Missions can add up over time.
2. Loot Corpses and Abandoned Locations
Looting is a great way to make money in RDR2, especially during and after gunfights. You can loot the bodies of enemies, NPCs, or even lawmen after a showdown to find valuables like money, watches, jewelry, and other items you can sell.
a. Looting Bodies
After each fight, take the time to loot the bodies of enemies. You’ll find small amounts of money, typically between $1 and $5 per body, but the real value lies in finding items like gold watches or pocket watches, which can be sold for higher amounts at a fence.
b. Looting Buildings
In addition to looting bodies, you can explore abandoned houses, cabins, or gang hideouts to find valuable items like cash and jewelry. Always check drawers, cupboards, and safes for hidden stashes of money or rare items.
3. Hunt and Sell Animal Pelts
Hunting is one of the core activities in RDR2 and offers a great way to make money. By hunting and selling animal pelts, meat, and parts, you can earn steady cash while also collecting materials for crafting.
a. Hunting Legendary Animals
Throughout the game, you can hunt Legendary Animals, which are rare creatures with valuable pelts. These pelts can be sold to a trapper for a high price or used to craft unique clothing and gear. Hunting a legendary animal can earn you $50 to $200 depending on the rarity of the animal.
b. Selling Pelts and Meat
When hunting regular animals, focus on obtaining perfect pelts by using the correct weapons (such as a bow with small game arrows for smaller animals). Perfect pelts sell for more money at trappers and butchers. Additionally, you can sell meat from larger animals, such as deer and bison, to earn extra cash. Perfect pelts from animals like deer and elk can fetch anywhere from $2 to $10, while larger animals like bears and bison can bring in more.
4. Treasure Hunts: Follow Maps for Big Rewards
Treasure hunts offer some of the biggest payouts in the game, but they require you to follow clues and solve puzzles to find hidden stashes of gold. Treasure maps can be found throughout the game or purchased from NPCs.
a. Jack Hall Gang Treasure
One of the earliest treasure hunts you can undertake is the Jack Hall Gang Treasure Hunt, which can yield a significant reward if you follow the clues correctly. Completing the treasure hunt will reward you with two gold bars, which can be sold for $500 each at a fence.
b. Poisonous Trail Treasure
Another valuable treasure hunt is the Poisonous Trail Treasure Hunt, which also leads to a hidden stash of gold bars. Finding the treasure at the end of this hunt will net you four gold bars, each worth $500.
c. Finding Gold Bars
Gold bars are some of the most valuable items in RDR2, and you can sell them to fences for $500 each. Keep an eye out for treasure maps, hidden stashes, or abandoned buildings with safes that may contain gold bars.
5. Rob Trains, Coaches, and Banks
Robbery is one of the riskier but more profitable ways to make money in RDR2. You can rob trains, stagecoaches, and banks for large sums of cash, but you’ll need to be prepared to deal with law enforcement if things go wrong.
a. Train Robberies
Robbing trains is one of the most exciting ways to make money. To rob a train, you’ll need to stop it by blocking the tracks or boarding the train while it’s moving. You can loot passengers for small amounts of cash or head to the baggage cars to find safes and valuables. Train robberies can yield anywhere from $50 to $500 or more, depending on how thorough you are.
b. Stagecoach Robberies
You can also rob stagecoaches, which transport valuable goods and money across the map. Stagecoaches can be found on the roads or requested through missions. Some coaches will carry large amounts of money, and you can sell stolen goods at fences.
c. Bank Robberies
Although bank robberies are rare and often tied to specific story missions, they offer huge payouts when successful. Be prepared to face heavy resistance from law enforcement, but if you manage to break into the bank’s vaults, you can walk away with thousands of dollars.
6. Collect Bounties
Working as a bounty hunter in RDR2 allows you to make money by capturing or killing wanted criminals. Bounty missions are available throughout the game, and they offer a reliable way to earn cash while taking on dangerous foes.
a. How to Collect Bounties
You can find bounty posters in towns like Valentine or Saint Denis, which will list wanted criminals along with the reward for their capture. You can choose to bring the target in dead or alive, but bringing them in alive will usually result in a higher reward.
b. Potential Earnings
Bounty missions can pay anywhere from $20 to $150 depending on the difficulty of the mission and the target’s notoriety. Completing multiple bounty missions can add up quickly, making this a steady source of income.
7. Play Poker and Other Mini-Games
RDR2 offers several mini-games where you can gamble and win money, including poker, blackjack, and dominoes. If you’re skilled at these games, you can earn extra cash while having fun.
a. Poker
Poker is one of the most profitable mini-games, and it’s available in several saloons throughout the map. By using smart strategy and bluffing, you can win significant amounts of money from other players. Depending on the buy-in and your luck, you can win $10 to $100 or more in a single game.
b. Blackjack and Dominoes
Blackjack and dominoes are also available at saloons and offer a way to make smaller amounts of money. Winning several hands of blackjack can yield $5 to $50, depending on your bets.
8. Sell Stolen Goods and Horses
Selling stolen goods and horses is another way to make money in RDR2. Fences will buy stolen items like jewelry, gold bars, and valuable trinkets, while stables will purchase stolen or wild horses.
a. Sell to Fences
Fences are located in towns like Saint Denis and Rhodes, and they’ll buy stolen goods that regular merchants won’t touch. You can sell items like watches, rings, and gold bars for a significant profit.
b. Horse Trading
You can also make money by catching wild horses or stealing horses from NPCs and selling them at stables. Stolen or wild horses can be sold for $10 to $150, depending on their breed and quality.
Conclusion: Build Your Fortune in the Wild West
Making money in RDR2 offers endless opportunities, whether you’re hunting for treasure, robbing trains, or playing poker in a saloon. By combining various money-making strategies, you can build a fortune and fully enjoy all the game has to offer. From legitimate work like bounty hunting to riskier ventures like robbery, the Wild West is full of ways to turn a profit and thrive in Arthur Morgan’s world.
One response to “How to Make Money in Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2)”
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!