No, you do not lose everything when you beat Red Dead Redemption 2. However, there are some key things to be aware of regarding what you keep and lose after finishing the main story in RDR2.

What You Keep After Beating RDR2

Here are the key things you get to keep after beating the main story in Red Dead Redemption 2:

• Your weapons: All the weapons you acquired over the course of the game remain in your inventory. This includes sidearms, rifles, shotguns, etc.
• Your outfits: Any outfits you crafted or purchased can still be worn. This includes individual clothing items as well.
• Your satchel contents: Provisions, tonics, kits, valuables etc. stay in your satchel.
• Your horse: Your main story horse is still available to you. If it died, you can retrieve it from the stable.
• Your camp: Your camp with all upgrades and decor is still accessible.
• Legendary animal pelts: These stay in your inventory and can be used for crafting trinkets.
• Money: Gold bars and cash stay in your wallet.

So in summary, your personal belongings, weapons, clothes, and horse are retained after completing the epilogue. Key collectibles and resources also remain in your inventory.

What You Lose After Beating RDR2

Here are the main things that are lost or changed after beating the main story in RDR2:

• Your gang members: With the Van der Linde gang disbanded, you lose access to all former gang members.
• Horses: Any horses you previously owned aside from your main one are lost.
• Temporary horses: You can no longer store temporary horses.
• Upgrades: All camp, satchel, and wagon upgrades are reset.
• Mission items: Any mission-specific items are removed from your inventory.
• Quest items: Items needed only for specific quests disappear.
• Documents: Letters, maps, etc. related to the story are lost.
• Food and tonics: Perishable provisions like meats disappear. Some tonics are removed too.

So you lose access to key characters, multi-horse ownership, and various mission-related items. Consumables and certain upgrades also reset after the main story ends.

What Happens in Chapter 6?

Chapter 6 is when you reach the point of no return in RDR2’s story. Completing the mission “Red Dead Redemption” begins the epilogue and locks you into the game’s final act.

Here are key things to know about what happens in Chapter 6:

• You leave the Van der Linde gang for good after a falling out with Dutch.
• The gang camps at Beaver Hollow, where living conditions deteriorate.
• Pinkerton pressure on the gang intensifies, leading to increased conflict.
• Arthur’s health takes a turn for the worse as his tuberculosis advances.
• You start playing as John Marston towards the end as the epilogue begins.
• A number of characters can die depending on your choices earlier in the game.

So Chapter 6 represents the final throes of the Van der Linde gang and Arthur Morgan’s arc. Once you complete one particular mission, you reach the point of no return leading into the epilogue.

What is the Point of No Return Mission?

The mission My Last Boy is the point of no return in Chapter 6. Completing this mission locks you into the endgame.

Here’s what happens in My Last Boy:

• Dutch asks Arthur for one last favor – to help John Marston escape the gang and start a new life.
• Arthur and John get into a fight after Arthur insists John leave for his family’s sake.
• This is the climax of Arthur’s redemption arc where he puts John’s life ahead of Dutch and the gang.
• After the fight, John reluctantly leaves to be with his wife and son while Arthur confronts Dutch.

Once My Last Boy is complete, the next mission Red Dead Redemption kicks off the epilogue. So My Last Boy represents your last chance to free roam as Arthur Morgan before the story locks into its final trajectory.

What You Keep After My Last Boy Mission

If you complete all your business before finishing My Last Boy, here are the key things you get to keep for the epilogue and post-game:

• All previously acquired weapons, clothes, and gear
• Your main story horse
• All money and gold bars
• Talismans and trinkets
• Trapper clothing items
• Legendary animal pelts
• Provisions like tonics, herbs, and meats

So valuables, personal belongings, and resources carry over past the point of no return. Make sure to sell valuables, donate to camp funds, and upgrade gear beforehand.

What You Lose After My Last Boy

Certain items and progress do reset or disappear after finishing My Last Boy:

• All horses except your main one are lost
• Temporarily-owned horses cannot be stabled
• Food and tonics start decaying
• Mission-specific items are removed
• Collected documents like maps are lost
• The camp and upgrades are abandoned

So while your core inventory remains, you lose contextual items, second horses, and access to the camp in the epilogue. Make sure to clear out your trunk and finish challenges beforehand.

Preparing For the Epilogue

To make sure you’re fully prepared for the post-game after finishing My Last Boy:

• Complete challenges like the Bandit, Sharpshooter, and Survivalist to unlock bonuses that carry over.
• Upgrade equipment and the camp to maximize Arthur’s stats for remaining missions.
• Craft talismans and trinkets for permanent bonuses to stats like Dead Eye.
• Catch legendary fish so you can send them to the trapper and craft gear.
• Find and tame rare horses you want to keep for the epilogue.
• Sell valuables and donate to camp funds to have more cash afterwards.
• Do any remaining side activities like stranger missions before progressing the story.

Summary

In summary:

• You keep most gear, horses, and valuables after beating RDR2.
• Losses include gang members, temporary horses, consumables, and mission items.
• Chapter 6 and the My Last Boy mission mark the point of no return.
• Make sure to prepare for the epilogue by completing challenges, upgrading gear, and clearing inventory.

So while beating RDR2 results in losing some progress, you retain enough to keep your character well equipped for the epilogue and post-game free roam. By thoroughly preparing Arthur beforehand, you can step into John Marston’s boots without missing a beat.