It's Naturalist week on Red Dead Online - new content updates, specials, and discounts

Yep, I'm still logging into Red Dead Online every morning to do a few daily challenges. I'm almost at the end of my second 28-day streak, and the cash and gold are piling up at a ridiculous rate. I'm a master trader at this point, and so long as I keep the goods flowing, the money keeps coming in. I'm cowboy rich.

With the amount of time I've spent in Red Dead Online, I've tried all of the career paths except for one. I've been waiting for Rockstar to discount the Naturalist career before picking that one up (because I am a cowboy miser), and it seems that my time has come.

This week, Rockstar has discounted the Naturalist Sample Kit - needed to kickstart the career - at 10 gold bars off. That discount should leave the sample kit at a relatively affordable cost of 5 gold bars - which should leave me sitting pretty on a pile of gold when the next battle pass thingiemadoo starts. 

Though that's the big story for me, Rockstar has a bunch of other interesting content releasing this week, including three new solo missions. The "Telegram Missions" can be started by picking up a telegram at a post office or your camp lockbox. Rockstar describes each mission as follows:

A One Horse Deal -The Braithwaites are negotiating a deal to buy a prized, untamed white Arabian racehorse from Emerald Ranch. Your task will be to intercept the deal, tame the unpredictable beast, an deliver the steed to your contact. This is a highly valued horse, so expect guards to give pursuit.

Rich Pickings - Rumor has it that the mayor of Saint Denis is busy lining his pockets with seized jewels smuggled into the States. The Mayor keeps his stash in his tightly guarded manor — break in, snatch the gems, and get back out alive.

Outrider - A wagon is making its way out of Brittlebrush Trawl, requiring a skilled individual to provide backup against attackers and roadblocks en route. Whether you escort on horseback or ride shotgun is up to you, but if the driver dies it’s on you to get the wagon to its destination by any means necessary — and don’t ask too many questions about the cargo.

 Each mission has three difficulty levels, and will become progressively harder as you play them. In addition to all of that, there are the usual weekly discounts and goodies:

• Double RDO$ and Role XP on all Naturalist Free Roam Events
• Bonus Offers for Naturalists: Completing a Legendary Animal Sighting Mission will net Naturalists an Offer for 40% off an Established or Distinguished Naturalist Role Item, with those at Naturalist Role Rank 10 or higher also receiving an Offer good for 40% off any Repeater
• An Offer for 40% off any Poncho will be awarded to all Bounty Hunters who deliver a Bounty this week
• Returning Limited Time Catalogue Additions: The Squat Stovepipe Top Hat, Raccoon Hat, Gator Hat, Plaid Cap, Pelt Half Chaps, Carver Pants, Eberhart Coat, Strickland Boots, Prieto Poncho, and select colorways of the Patterned Bandana
• New Discounts: 10 Gold Bars off the Naturalist Sample Kit, 40% off the Wilderness Camp, plus 30% off the Advanced Camera, all Stable Stalls, everything in Gus' Store, and all Missouri Fox Trotters and Mustangs
• New Prime Gaming Benefits: Players that connect to Prime Gaming before March 15th will receive a Reward for 200x Shotgun Slugs, 5,000 Club XP, and an Offer for 50% off the Repeating Shotgun
• Ongoing Prime Gaming Benefits: Players who connect to Prime Gaming will receive Rewards for a free Bounty Hunter License, and an Award for the Trimmed Amethyst Bounty Wagon Livery
• Plus A New Source of Employment Mission Bonuses: 5,000 Club XP, RDO$100, and a Treasure Map for completing any of the three new missions, along with an Offer for 30% off an Arabian Horse and 2 Special Horse Revivers for completing the A One Horse Deal Mission; 3 Lost Jewelry and 3 Family Heirloom Collectibles for completing the Rich Pickings Mission; and 20 Small Game Arrows and 100 Express Revolver Cartridges for completing the Outrider Mission

It seems that Rockstar has been really focusing on improving Red Dead Online, and I've been enjoying the weekly offerings quite a bit. I'll likely jump into the new missions this week and report back.

The $4.99 discount on Red Dead Online has ended, but I would say that the game is worth the current $19.99 asking price. Shockingly, Red Dead Online has been my grind of choice since before the holidays, and these weekly bonuses just make it that much richer.