Red Dead Online player BigIron47 has become wanted for murder in Valentine after attempting to establish himself as the sort of cowboy who says hello to people. The player had ridden into town intending to buy supplies, admire the scenery and acknowledge a man standing outside the general store. Witnesses described the opening exchange as brief. “I wanted to tip my hat,” he explained. “The shotgun was not part of the greeting.”
BigIron47 first realised something had gone wrong when the man raised both hands instead of returning the gesture. Attempting to correct the misunderstanding, he pressed another button. The conversation ended. “At that point I was trying to put the gun away,” he said. “Everything after that was an apology.”
The apology spread across two streets and required the attendance of several lawmen. BigIron47 maintained that he was not resisting arrest, merely struggling to locate the action that would communicate this. One deputy reportedly approached while the player was checking whether surrender involved holding a button or tapping it. BigIron47 would like the deputy’s family to know that he was trying both.
The incident has complicated what the player described as a relaxed evening of immersive roleplay. He had spent several minutes choosing a respectable coat specifically to avoid looking like the sort of man who would do this. “You watch a Western and people just nod at each other,” he said, crouching behind a horse trough. “Nobody has to remember what their hands are currently equipped with.”
After escaping town, BigIron47 resolved to practise his social interactions somewhere quiet before attempting another conversation. He successfully waved at a tree six times and felt ready to rejoin society.
On his return to Valentine, he spotted a stranger approaching and decided a friendly gesture might help clear the air. The stranger waved first. BigIron47 took cover.
