What does Wanted Dead or Alive mean in Red Dead Redemption 2

In Rockstar's exceptional western you make like Bon Jovi and play a cowboy, wanted dead or alive - steel horse not included. The crimes you commit can make areas of Red Dead Redemption 2's huge map are hotter than others, and we're not talking about the desert sun.

Being an infamous criminal comes with its fair share of baggage, and being wanted dead or alive by the law isn't necessarily the easiest thing to navigate across the wild west when there's quests galore to complete. So, here's all you need to know about the 'Wanted Dead or Alive' areas in Red Dead Redemption 2.

What does Wanted Dead or Alive mean in Red Dead Redemption 2

You'll most likely notice the ominously red Wanted Dead or Alive message around Javier Escuella's second mission in Red Dead Redemption 2.

The game doesn't really communicate to you what this means, but you'll find it on some other areas by default, as well as because of your actions in and out of main missions.

Basically, in areas marked with 'Wanted Dead or Alive' NPCs will be actively hostile to your presence since you're so well known as a wrong'un. Lawmen in the area will be searching for you and will shoot on sight.

This is why at the start of the game it's active around Blackwater - because of a robbery gone wrong - and will trigger in other places based on the outcome of some quests.

You can also cause it to happen by committing a large number of serious crimes in quick succession, which spawns a big posse of gunmen to chase you down. Then when you return to the area before things have cooled off, all of the police will still be hostile.

These areas are essentially locked out to you for a certain amount of time unless you visit them during a quest or pay off your bounty. Military encampments and police strongholds are also off limits and behave in the same way - including places like Fort Wallace and the Penitentiary, so you'll want to avoid entering these areas where possible. These areas will appear red on your map.

Special locations like this are separate from the bounty system, so for instance, you can't pay off your Blackwater bounty in Chapter 2. However, if you are Wanted Dead or Alive in a story area such as Valentine or Saint Denis, you can pay off your bounty at a local post office to get rid of your status as a super-violent criminal.

Without paying your bounty or surrendering to the police, you will remain Wanted Dead or Alive in that area throughout the game, and as mentioned, some off-limits areas such as Military encampments will always have this status upon entry.

You can also check out our guide to see how bounties will affect the honor system. And while you're laying low, how about you collect and store some perfect pelts to trade for better supplies?

We've also got a few great Red Dead Redemption 2 tips to get you started, as well as all the cheats you could ever need, and the locations of all the best weapons in the game.

Still stuck after that? Then check out our Red Dead Redemption 2 walkthrough for more tips, tricks and guides.