Rockstar is running the Red Dead Online Naturalist event throughout May, with free cosmetics, boosted XP, and limited-time rewards available across a range of in-game activities. Some items are only accessible for 48 hours, giving players a short window to claim them this week.
The Naturalist is one of Red Dead Online’s specialist career roles, built around studying and conserving frontier wildlife. Players sample animals in the field or hunt Legendary Animals across the map, trading finds for cash and experience. During the Red Dead Online Naturalist event, completing Naturalist Free Roam Events earns 4x RDO$ and XP, Sample Sales return 3x rewards, and Races pay 4x multipliers for the full month.
Cosmetics available in the Red Dead Online Naturalist event
Several free items are tied to specific in-game actions before 1 June. Any player who logs into Red Dead Online before that date receives the black Rushword Shirt. Completing a round of Wildlife Photographer adds the blue Guerra Poncho to the wardrobe. Taking part in either the Wildlife Photographer or Wild Animal Kills Challenge Free Roam Awards also pays 4x RDO$ and XP through 1 June.
For players engaging more deeply with the Naturalist role, hunting or sampling a Legendary Animal this month unlocks the Clairborn Coat. Completing an Animal Sighting Mission adds the Chicken Emote. Both rewards are tied to the Naturalist role’s core activities and remain available throughout May without a specific weekly window.
Weekly Naturalist event schedule through May
The event is split into weekly windows, each with a distinct reward. From 12 to 18 May, completing three daily challenges unlocks a 50% discount offer on an Established or Distinguished Naturalist Role Item. The following week, 19 to 25 May, winning a Featured Series event rewards a free emote. The final stretch runs from 26 May through 1 June, when selling three Samples earns the black Morning Tail Coat.
An earlier window during the first week offered two gold bars for taking part in Featured Series events. That window has now passed and will not return.
About Red Dead Online
Red Dead Online launched in November 2018 alongside Red Dead Redemption 2, the open-world western from Rockstar Games. The online mode began as a beta that November before moving to a full release in May 2019. Since August 2021, it has been available as a standalone purchase on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Players who already own Red Dead Redemption 2 access the online component at no extra cost.
The Naturalist role tasks players with working alongside Harriet Davenport, an NPC who assigns wildlife conservation missions and sample collection tasks. Players can also pursue Legendary Animals independently, with those hunts providing unique materials and rewards separate from Harriet’s conservation track.
The Red Dead Online Naturalist event runs through 1 June. Two weekly reward windows remain for players aiming to collect the full set of May cosmetics.