Black Desert Online
News, coverage and analysis tracking Black Desert Online across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Crimson Desert Drops Epic Soundtrack Treasure – Completely Free on Steam
Pearl Abyss has released the original soundtrack for Crimson Desert as a free, permanent download on Steam. This move aims to build anticipation for the game by allowing players to experience its musical score before launch. The release of Volume 1 suggests further musical content is planned as development progresses.
Crimson Desert Sales Hit 5m in Under a Month
Crimson Desert has surpassed five million sales in under a month since its release. The open-world action RPG, developed and published by Pearl Abyss, achieved this milestone shortly after reaching four million sales earlier in the month. The game is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Crimson Desert now has a detailed female character creator mod so you no longer have to play as "Temu Jon Snow"
A new mod for Crimson Desert on PC adds a detailed female character creator, addressing the lack of customization options in the base game. The mod, available on Nexus Mods, offers numerous hairstyles and face presets, and future updates plan to include male character customization and additional races. This modding effort contrasts with Pearl Abyss's previous game, Black Desert Online, which was known for its robust character creation tools.
Crimson Desert mod lets you ditch Kliff for your own character for maximum RPG vibes
A new mod for Crimson Desert allows players to create their own custom characters, moving beyond the pre-set characters like Kliff. This mod introduces extensive customization options and is planned to include more features like additional races and animations. The article also briefly mentions Black Desert Online as an alternative.
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.
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.
Not Even Crimson Desert's Main Character VA Understood The Game's Story
Crimson Desert, developed by Pearl Abyss, has achieved over 3 million sales since its March 19 launch on consoles and PC. However, voice actor Alec Newman, who plays Kliff, expressed that the game's narrative is confusing, even for those involved in its creation. Newman noted that the story underwent significant changes during its five-year development cycle, impacting the clarity for voice actors.
Out of all of Crimson Desert's baffling design decisions, its playable trio might be the worst offender
The author expresses confusion and disappointment with Crimson Desert's design choice of featuring three playable characters, arguing that their implementation feels like an afterthought. Despite distinct combat styles, the game frequently forces players back to the primary character, Kliff, limiting the utility and progression of the others, Damiane and Oongka. This half-hearted approach to an ensemble cast is seen as a baffling design decision that detracts from the game's potential.
Pearl Abyss boss admits the studio "could have done a better job" with Crimson Desert's totally underwhelming story
Pearl Abyss CEO Heo Jin-young acknowledged player disappointment with Crimson Desert's story, stating the studio could have done better but prioritized strengthening gameplay. The company is also considering mod support for the game in the future, though no concrete plans are in place.
With Crimson Desert released, devs will shift focus to an adorable creature collector that looks like Pokémon on steroids
Pearl Abyss has shifted its development focus to DokeV, an upcoming creature-collecting open-world action-adventure game, following the release of Crimson Desert. DokeV, first announced seven years ago, features whimsical creatures called Dokebi and a vibrant world, representing a departure from the studio's previous titles like Crimson Desert and Black Desert Online. Full development is now commencing, suggesting the game is likely several years away.
Crimson Desert Gets Controversial 6/10 From IGN, Fans React
Pearl Abyss's highly anticipated action-RPG Crimson Desert has received a 6/10 review score from IGN, sparking mixed reactions from players. While not a definitive failure, the score has led to discussions about the game's potential shortcomings in combat, story, or technical aspects. Despite the critical reception, the article suggests that Crimson Desert, like other games such as No Man's Sky and Cyberpunk 2077, could find redemption through post-launch updates and player engagement.
Games Inbox: Is Crimson Desert being underrated?
This article compiles reader opinions on Crimson Desert, with some players finding it addictive and a deep sandbox simulation, while others consider it disappointing and barebones. The discussion also touches on other games like Resident Evil, Grand Theft Auto 6, and the practices of companies like Rockstar Games.
Intel says Crimson Desert devs ignored offers of help to support Arc GPUs
Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss has advised players expecting Intel Arc GPU support to seek refunds, stating they have not enabled it. Intel claims they repeatedly offered assistance to Pearl Abyss over several years to optimize support for their graphics hardware, but these offers were apparently ignored. The game is currently available on PC, with refunds available on platforms like Steam.
"This is my dream game": After 7 hours, Palworld publishing chief delivers a glowing Crimson Desert verdict:…
Palworld publishing lead John Buckley shared a glowing review of Crimson Desert after seven hours of gameplay, calling it his "dream game" despite acknowledging criticisms. Pearl Abyss's open-world title has received mixed to mostly positive reviews, with GamesRadar+ awarding it 4/5 stars for its explorable world but noting a lackluster story.
Crimson Desert has topped 2M sales within a day
Crimson Desert, the large-scale RPG from developer Pearl Abyss, has achieved over 2 million sales worldwide within 24 hours of its release. The game has received mixed reviews on Steam, and Pearl Abyss has stated they will actively listen to community feedback for future improvements.
Pearl Abyss Releases Crimson Desert Globally - GameHaunt
Pearl Abyss has announced that Crimson Desert will launch globally on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Mac, Epic Games Store, and ROG Xbox Ally. The open-world action-adventure game features full voice acting in English, Korean, and Chinese, with subtitles in 14 languages. Players will step into the role of Kliff, a warrior tasked with reuniting his scattered people and reclaiming their home.
Crimson Desert patched on PS5 as players complain of crashes and blurry graphics
Pearl Abyss has released multiple patches for Crimson Desert on PlayStation 5 to address player complaints regarding crashes and blurry graphics. While the game experienced a rough launch with performance issues, the developer is actively working on fixes. Patches are also planned for Xbox Series X/S and other platforms at a later date.
Crimson Desert's Standout Feature is That It's Crimson Desert - IGN
Crimson Desert is an ambitious but janky open-world action RPG from Pearl Abyss that blends numerous genre tropes while striving for a unique identity. Despite technical issues and a demanding combat system, its stunning visuals and expansive gameplay offer a generous and potentially long-lasting experience, though its design may divide players.
Crimson Desert | Critical Consensus
Crimson Desert has received a mixed critical reception, with a Metacritic score of 78. Reviewers praise its combat and expansive open world, but criticize its underdeveloped story and characters, as well as systemic complexity and UI issues. Despite these flaws, the game is considered a frequently thrilling experience with a world worth exploring.
All the hype has already made Crimson Desert one of the biggest launches on Steam this year
Crimson Desert, an open-world action RPG from Pearl Abyss, has launched to significant player numbers on Steam, peaking at over 239,000 concurrent players shortly after release. Despite its strong sales performance, the game has received a 'Mixed' user rating on Steam due to criticisms of clunky controls and a convoluted system design, though it has been a top global seller for weeks.
