Back in May an image surfaced on the internet that looked like it was potentially a leaked screenshot of Red Dead Redemption 2. As the internet does: it got a little crazy with blind-excitement. Alas, the image turned out to be not of Rockstar's highly-anticipated Red Dead Redemption 2, but of a new PC MMO called Wild West Online. 

Fast-forward to today, and developer 612 Games has revealed the first bit of gameplay of Wild West Online, offering a glimpse at bounties, combat, town activities, a variety of enviroments, and more. Prior to this, the game had never been showcased in a meaningful manner beyond a batch of screenshots.

According to the developers, Wild West Online is an open-world multiplayer game where players are free to roam the Wild West and choose between being a classic Wild West hero or outlaw (or anything in between the two). Gameplay is said to center around world exploration, PvP and PvE content, resource gathering, treasure hunts, and much more.

As mentioned above: in Wild West Online players are allowed to choose their own path. You can be a lawman who hunts down outlaw-ish players with bounties on their heads or rack up enough crime yourself and have your own bounty to run from. Classic good or bad guy not doing it for ya? Well, according to 612 Games there will be other options as well, such as being a farmer or a miner. Or you can just explore a "large" map full of gang hideouts, lone farms, train stations, large towns, wilderness, and "bizarre uncharted places of an unknown nature."

As for PvP...it's the Wild West, so there's no laws (mostly) According to the developer, you're often safest in towns because there are laws there and people to enforce them, but beyond the towns...well...it's the Wild West. When you die in the game all you lose are "quest items," with everything else remaining with you.  There will also be a plethora of PvE content and the ability to form a posse of up to eight friends. Lastly, there is said to be some "light crafting," which consists of crafting from recipes, foraging for supplies, etc.

In addition to the new gameplay video,  you can now also preorder for a closed alpha and beta at the game's official website (where you can find much more information on the game) to receive exclusive early bird content in the form of a saddle, horse, and gun cosmetic skins. This offer will only apparently be available until July 20th.

Wild West Online is in development for PC and slated to release sometime this year at an unannounced price-point. Below, you can check out the new, aforementioned video: