Crimson Desert
News, coverage and analysis tracking Crimson Desert across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Crimson Desert is "a cynical amalgamation of borrowed mechanics," says Baldur's Gate 3 publishing lead:…
Michael Douse, publishing director for Baldur's Gate 3, described Crimson Desert as a "cynical amalgamation of borrowed mechanics." While acknowledging the game is fun, he compared it to a compilation album, suggesting it stitches together various elements without a strong original vision.
Engagement Ring
Crimson Desert has reached a new peak concurrent player count on Steam following a significant update. In contrast, Arc Raiders saw its Steam player count drop by over 50% in March since its launch.
Crimson Desert's Kliff was originally so Scottish he was named after a MacBeth character, and his actor pushed Pearl Abyss to make him less "stoic"
Crimson Desert's protagonist Kliff was originally named MacDuff and had a more Scottish origin, according to voice actor Alec Newman. Newman pushed Pearl Abyss to develop Kliff beyond a stoic character, advocating for more emotional depth and narrative complexity throughout the game's lengthy development.
How to get the Righteous Verdict Greatsword in Crimson Desert
This guide explains how to obtain the Righteous Verdict Greatsword within the game Crimson Desert. The article focuses on the in-game steps required to acquire this specific weapon.
Crimson Desert Dev Keeps Its Promise, Replaces AI Art in Latest Patch
Developer Pearl Abyss has replaced AI-generated artwork in Crimson Desert with officially created assets in a recent update, following player criticism. The studio apologized for the lack of transparency regarding the use of AI during early development and promised to replace the assets before release.
Morning Patches
Crimson Desert has received patch notes version 1.01.01. The article also mentions a new fan-made expansion quest mod for Fallout: New Vegas.
Morning Mobilization
Bethesda is taking its controversial mobile title, The Elder Scrolls: Blades, offline. Separately, Pearl Abyss advises players experiencing issues with Crimson Desert to roll back their GPU drivers.
How to solve the Sanctum of Absolution puzzle in Crimson Desert
This guide details how to solve the Sanctum of Absolution puzzle in Crimson Desert, a task that can be confusing due to a hidden component. The guide also covers defeating the Antumbra's Sword boss and finding a secret chest, which requires the Kuku Pot from the Kiln Repair quest.
Turns out Crimson Desert's lead voice actor was as confused by the game's disjointed story as some players
Crimson Desert's lead voice actor, Alec Newman, expressed confusion regarding the game's narrative development, stating that the story and character motivations were not fully defined until late in the development process. This aligns with previous reports of internal struggles and shifting priorities at Pearl Abyss, which impacted the game's quest structure and narrative coherence despite its commercial success.
Kill this wolf in Crimson Desert to get all Legendary mount locations
This guide explains how to find all Legendary mount locations in Crimson Desert by defeating the Black Fang wolf. Players must first unlock the Legendary Wolf quest through the Hernand Faction Quests and track Black Fang to The Sage's Peak. Defeating the wolf rewards players with Leebur's Fang, which reveals the locations of all other Legendary mounts.
Even Crimson Desert's lead actor knows you're not here for the story: "The boon of this game is clearly the size of the open world, and, you know, the fact that you can pick up a cat"
Crimson Desert's lead actor, Alec Newman, acknowledges that the game's open world and the ability to interact with elements like cats are its primary draws, rather than its story. Newman discussed the challenges of developing a cohesive narrative due to the game's shifting development focus, which originally began as an online prequel to Black Desert Online. He spent five years working on the project, advocating for more character development for the protagonist.
How to get the White Bear mount in Crimson Desert
This guide explains how to unlock the White Bear mount in Crimson Desert. Players must defeat the White Bear located south of the White Wastes Sanctuary in northwest Pailune, skin it to obtain crafting materials, and then use these materials to craft a Sigil of Solidarity via the Witch's Lair vendor to unlock the mount.
How to get new Boss mounts in Crimson Desert – Icicle Edge Alpine Ibex and Rock Tusk Warthog
This guide details how to obtain two new boss mounts, the Icicle Edge Alpine Ibex and the Rock Tusk Warthog, introduced in Crimson Desert's 1.01.01 update. Obtaining the Icicle Edge Alpine Ibex requires completing specific main and faction quests in the Pailune region, culminating in a boss fight. The Rock Tusk Warthog is acquired by defeating a boss in the Crimson Desert region. Both mounts are unlocked by crafting a Sigil of Solidarity at the Witch's Lair.
Crimson Desert: Why Critics Were Divided, The Review Scores, and How Patches Are Changing the Game |
Crimson Desert launched in March 2026 to mixed reviews, with critics praising its visuals and combat but criticizing its narrative and controls. Developer Pearl Abyss has been actively releasing patches to address these issues, improving quality-of-life features and game balance. Player sentiment on platforms like Steam has improved following these updates, indicating a potential for the game to grow into a more positively received experience.
How to get the Silver Fang wolf mount in Crimson Desert
This guide details how to obtain the Silver Fang wolf mount in Crimson Desert. Players must complete a series of faction quests for House Celeste in the Hernand region, culminating in the 'Legendary Wolf' quest. After defeating the wolf, players can craft a special item at Elowen's Witch's Lair to summon Silver Fang as a mount.
Pearl Abyss says to roll back your GPU driver if you're struggling to get Crimson Desert working on your ROG Xbox…
Pearl Abyss has identified an issue preventing Crimson Desert from launching on ASUS ROG Ally X devices with the latest GPU drivers. The company recommends rolling back to a previous driver version while Microsoft and AMD investigate the problem. The game also has known issues with Intel Arc GPUs, with Pearl Abyss and Intel working on a fix.
Crimson Desert Patches Are Delighting Fans, but Some Say They're Making the Game Too Easy and Now Want a Hard Difficulty Mode
Players are enjoying recent patches for Crimson Desert, but some feel the game has become too easy and are requesting a hard difficulty mode. This has sparked discussion about the game's current difficulty balance and the desire for more challenging options.
How to get Propeller Spear in Crimson Desert
This guide explains how to find the Propeller Spear, a unique weapon in Crimson Desert, located in the Aeronautical Research Base. The article details its location within a guard tower and its special wind wave ability, recommending its use for crafting the upgraded Kuku Propeller Spear due to its fixed durability.
Indie studio co-founder believes 'nobody cares about' huge open worlds anymore instead devs should pick just one thing and do it 'exceptionally well'
Indie studio co-founder Nick Lives believes players are growing tired of massive open-world games, preferring shorter, self-contained experiences that are exceptionally well-crafted. He argues that game length should not dictate price, and that developers should focus on making every moment count. Yura Zhdanovich of Sad Cat Studios agrees, stating that simply having a large open world is no longer enticing and developers must excel in specific areas to capture player attention.
"Nintendo is absolutely furious" about Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake leaks, former marketing lead assures, who says dealing with leakers will likely become a "major priority"
Former Nintendo PR manager Kit Ellis believes the company is furious about recent massive leaks, including a rumored remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Ellis suggests that addressing these leaks will become a major priority for Nintendo due to potential impacts on share prices.
