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Overview
Another Journey is the working title for Crimson Desert's multiplayer mode. Pearl Abyss has described it as a separate online experience set in the same world as the single-player campaign, where players create their own custom characters rather than playing as Kliff, Damiane, or Oongka. The mode is planned as a free post-launch update -- it will not be available at the game's initial release.
The name "Another Journey" reflects the concept: once the player finishes (or steps away from) the single-player story, they begin a different journey with a character of their own making. Pearl Abyss has said that "when you switch to multiplayer, you can play the part after your journey" -- meaning the multiplayer experience is framed as a continuation of the world rather than a separate product.
In a 2021 interview with MMO Culture, Pearl Abyss elaborated on the design philosophy: "Crimson Desert doesn't have separate single player and multiplayer modes that are independent of one another, but rather the two are organically connected." The intent is that single-player and multiplayer feel like different facets of the same experience rather than two bolted-together products.
Custom character creation
Unlike the single-player campaign, which locks players into the three pre-made playable characters, Another Journey lets players create a custom avatar. Pearl Abyss has not detailed the full extent of the character creator, but given the studio's track record with Black Desert -- which has one of the most in-depth character creators in the MMO genre -- expectations are high. The specifics (available races, body sliders, combat class selection) have not been confirmed for Crimson Desert's multiplayer.
Shared progression
One of the defining features Pearl Abyss has confirmed is that levels, items, and skills carry over between single-player and multiplayer. Progress made in the campaign is not walled off from Another Journey, and vice versa. If you level up a skill or acquire a piece of gear in one mode, it exists in the other.
How this works mechanically is still unclear. The single-player campaign uses three fixed characters with separate skill trees, while multiplayer uses a custom character. Whether the shared progression means your custom character inherits items from your Kliff/Damiane/Oongka save, or whether it operates through a shared account-level inventory, has not been specified. What Pearl Abyss has confirmed is that the two modes are not siloed -- they feed into each other.
Seamless switching
Pearl Abyss has described the transition between single-player and multiplayer as seamless. The intent is that players can move between the campaign and Another Journey without lengthy loading screens or separate launchers. You play the story, switch to multiplayer to do something with friends, and switch back. The world stays the same; the mode changes.
Conceptualized features
Pearl Abyss has discussed several multiplayer activities at a conceptual level. None of these have been shown in gameplay footage or confirmed as final features. They represent the studio's vision for what Another Journey could include:
Feature | Description |
|---|---|
Co-op missions -- Group PvE content where players tackle challenges together. The single-player campaign already features NPC companions fighting alongside the player, so co-op with real players is a natural extension. | -- |
PvP combat | Player-versus-player encounters. No details on structure (arenas, open-world PvP, ranked modes, etc.) have been shared. |
Horse racing | Competitive races using the game's mounted combat and horseback riding systems. Horseback riding is a core traversal mechanic in the single-player game, so racing would repurpose existing systems. |
Group fishing | A social activity where players fish together. Fishing exists as a life skill in the campaign, and group fishing would bring it into a multiplayer social context. |
Mini-games -- Other social or competitive activities beyond the main combat loop. No specific mini-games have been named. | -- |
The common thread is that Pearl Abyss wants Another Journey to offer more than just co-op dungeon runs. The vision includes social, competitive, and leisure activities alongside traditional multiplayer combat.
Release timeline
Another Journey does not have a confirmed release date. Pearl Abyss has stated repeatedly that the single-player campaign is the priority. The multiplayer mode will come as a free update after launch, but the studio has not committed to a specific timeframe.
In an investor meeting, Pearl Abyss directly compared their approach to Rockstar's: "Internally, we plan to release Crimson Desert next year, and after that, develop multiplayer online content for the game, similar to GTA's multiplayer mode." The comparison to GTA Online suggests a substantial post-launch multiplayer effort rather than a token online feature.
The decision on when to fully develop and release Another Journey depends partly on market response to the base game. If Crimson Desert performs well at launch, the multiplayer update moves forward on a faster track. This is not unusual for games that plan post-launch multiplayer -- the studio wants to gauge the player base before committing resources to online infrastructure.
For now, players should expect to receive Crimson Desert as a complete single-player experience at launch, with Another Journey arriving later as a free addition.
Monetization
The monetization picture for Another Journey has evolved during development. In earlier investor communications, Pearl Abyss mentioned plans for in-game purchases in the multiplayer mode, referencing cosmetic items like skins and weapons as potential offerings. Given the studio's history with Black Desert's cash shop, this drew attention from the community.
More recently, Pearl Abyss's messaging around launch has emphasized "no microtransactions." Will Powers told PC Gamer: "This is the premium experience, that is the transaction." This appears to apply to the single-player launch specifically. Whether Another Journey will eventually introduce its own monetization layer -- and whether it would be cosmetics-only or include gameplay-affecting purchases -- has not been definitively settled.
The single-player campaign itself is a one-time purchase with no microtransactions. Any monetization decisions for Another Journey will likely be announced closer to that mode's release.
Comparison to other models
The structure Pearl Abyss has described -- a complete single-player game that adds a free multiplayer mode post-launch -- has drawn comparisons to Grand Theft Auto V's relationship with GTA Online. Pearl Abyss has encouraged this comparison directly in investor communications. Both offer a self-contained story campaign and a separate online mode that shares the same world and lets players create custom characters. The key difference is that Pearl Abyss has confirmed shared progression between the two modes, whereas GTA Online started fresh.
The studio's own Black Desert is also a natural point of comparison, though that game launched as an MMO from day one rather than adding multiplayer later. Another Journey sits somewhere between a full MMO and a multiplayer add-on -- its final scope will depend on how much Pearl Abyss builds out the mode after launch.
See also
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Playable Characters | The three single-player protagonists |
Horseback Riding | Core traversal system referenced in racing concept |
Fishing | Life skill referenced in group fishing concept |
Crafting and Gathering | Shared progression includes items and materials |
Black Desert | Pearl Abyss's MMO, often compared to Another Journey |