It's not often a new game gets launched that tempts people to take the day off work to play. However, today is one of those days as Rockstar is releasing the highly-anticipated Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS4 and Xbox One.
If you're buying a physical copy of the game (and not taking the day off work), Rockstar is strongly recommending you download and install the "Launch Day Title Update" before playing for the first time. That's just a fancy term for the day-one patch that fixes all the bugs Rockstar discovered while the game was being burned to disc.
The patch is just over 3GB in size and is optional, which makes it very tempting to ignore and just start playing instead. Rockstar says it addresses "last minute tweaks, bugs and fixes" and therefore really should be installed. It's always better to suffer the frustration of waiting for a download than the frustration of having your enjoyment crushed by a game-breaking bug.
While you're waiting for the update to download, you can take the time to install Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 Official Companion App. It's available on iOS and Android and will connect directly to the game on PS4 and Xbox One. The key benefit of the app is map interaction. Using your touchscreen device, be it a phone or tablet, you can "pan and zoom the map, set waypoints or mark areas of interest with a tap on your screen."
The other major feature of the app is access to all information relating to Arthur Morgan, who the player controls throughout the game. It's possible to view his stats in real-time, but also to access his in-game journal, the game's manual, and a digital copy of the official guide. The app also acts as a replacement for the HUD in the game, meaning it's possible to turn it off completely on your TV.