Overview
"Another Journey" was the tentative name for a planned multiplayer mode in Crimson Desert, described by Pearl Abyss in interviews during 2020 and 2021. The mode was deprioritized during the game's six-year development cycle as the studio shifted focus entirely to delivering a polished single-player experience. Crimson Desert launched on March 19, 2026 as a single-player-only game with no multiplayer, co-op, or online features.
Pearl Abyss has stated that multiplayer and DLC could come post-launch depending on market demand. During an investors' meeting tied to the Q4 2025 earnings call, executives described the potential multiplayer component as being "similar to GTA," where players would be able to form gangs and complete various missions together. No timeline has been confirmed, though the studio's broader roadmap places DLC and multiplayer concepts tentatively in 2027.
Current Status
Crimson Desert is a single-player game. When asked directly about multiplayer in a February 2026 interview, Pearl Abyss Director of PR and Marketing Will Powers responded with a blunt "No." The game does not require a persistent internet connection for gameplay, though a connection may be needed for initial activation and updates.
During Pearl Abyss's Q4 2025 earnings call on February 12, 2026, executives stated that multiplayer and DLC could come post-launch "depending on market demand." The reported language included: "We will evaluate market response after launch to decide the path forward." DLC and multiplayer have "early concepts" but development is contingent on the game's sales performance. No timeline, roadmap, or specific features have been announced.
The BlackSpace Engine was built with networking capabilities, so the technical foundation for multiplayer already exists within the engine. Pearl Abyss acknowledged during the earnings call that the online component was never scrapped due to a lack of interest, but rather deprioritized as a matter of narrative priority. Whether the studio will activate these capabilities depends entirely on post-launch reception.
Launch Reception and Sales Context
The question of whether Another Journey will ever materialize depends heavily on Crimson Desert's commercial performance. The game's launch provides early data points for evaluating that prospect.
Sales Performance
Crimson Desert peaked at 239,045 concurrent players on Steam within hours of its March 19, 2026 launch, placing it among Steam's top 3 most-played titles alongside Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2. Analyst estimates from Alinea Analytics suggested roughly 400,000 copies had been sold on Steam before launch day, representing over $20 million in pre-launch revenue. The game had accumulated approximately 3 million Steam wishlists heading into release.
Steam user reviews started at a "Mixed" rating (around 60% positive) in the first 12 hours, largely driven by complaints about controls, UI design, and a steep learning curve. Reviews have since improved to "Mostly Positive" (around 73% positive) as players invested more time with the game. Several reviewers noted that Crimson Desert "opens up" significantly after the initial hours, and some players updated their negative reviews to positive.
The game launched simultaneously on PC (Steam and macOS), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Console sales figures have not been publicly disclosed. Pearl Abyss stock initially dropped roughly 30% following the mixed early reception, though the improving review trajectory and strong player numbers suggest the market response may ultimately be favorable enough to greenlight post-launch development.
Original Plans (2020-2021)
When Crimson Desert was first announced at G-STAR 2019, the game included both single-player and multiplayer components. Pearl Abyss described the multiplayer plans in detail during two interviews in late 2020 and early 2021.
December 2020 Interview
In a December 2020 interview with MMO Culture, Pearl Abyss Co-Producers HwanKyoung Jung and SeongWoo Lee, along with Lead Combat Designer Hyoseok Chae, described multiplayer as organically connected to the single-player mode. Players could "switch between single and multiplayer play at any moment during the game without having to clear the single player storyline." Levels, items, and skills were planned to be shared between both modes.
January 2021 Interview
In a January 2021 exclusive interview with MMO Culture, Pearl Abyss confirmed that "Another Journey" (explicitly labeled as a tentative name) would allow players to "create a separate character" and "customize the appearance of that character using Pearl Abyss' advanced customization system." The main story protagonist Kliff would retain his fixed appearance, while the multiplayer character would be fully customizable. Castle sieges and large-scale PvP battles were described as being in preparation.
Planned Features (Historical)
The following features were described in 2020-2021 interviews. These plans predate the shift to single-player-only and may not reflect the current or future direction of the game.
Feature | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
Seamless mode switching | Switch between single-player and multiplayer at any time without completing the story first. | Not in launch version |
Custom character creation | Create a separate character with full appearance customization for multiplayer. | Not in launch version |
Shared progression | Levels, items, and skills carry over between single-player and multiplayer modes. | Not in launch version |
Castle sieges | Large-scale PvP battles for territory control. | Not in launch version |
Optional participation | Multiplayer was described as entirely optional with no multiplayer-exclusive content. | Not in launch version |
Timeline
Date | Event |
|---|---|
November 2019 | Crimson Desert announced at G-STAR 2019 with both single-player and multiplayer components. |
December 2020 | Pearl Abyss interview with MMO Culture describes seamless single/multiplayer switching and shared progression. |
January 2021 | Pearl Abyss confirms "Another Journey" tentative name, custom character creation, and castle sieges in preparation. |
2023-2024 | Gamescom and The Game Awards reveals focus entirely on single-player content. No multiplayer mentioned in any trailer or presentation. |
January 2026 | Will Powers on the Dropped Frames podcast (Episode #457) describes Crimson Desert as "a premium experience that you buy and enjoy, not something based on microtransactions." |
February 12, 2026 | Q4 2025 earnings call: Pearl Abyss states multiplayer and DLC possible "depending on market demand." Executives describe potential multiplayer as "similar to GTA." DokeV targeted approximately two years after Crimson Desert launch. |
February 26, 2026 | Will Powers responds with "No" when asked directly about multiplayer in a YouTube interview. |
March 19, 2026 | Crimson Desert launches as a single-player-only game. Peaks at 239,045 concurrent Steam players. |
March 20-22, 2026 | Steam reviews improve from "Mixed" (60% positive) to "Mostly Positive" (73% positive) as players spend more time with the game. |
Black Desert Online Connection
Crimson Desert was originally positioned as a prequel to Black Desert Online, the MMO also developed by Pearl Abyss. The studio has since repositioned Crimson Desert as "a different universe, different IP altogether." Will Powers described it as a "new IP" on the Dropped Frames podcast. However, Pearl Abyss has acknowledged there will be "homages and little Easter Eggs" for Black Desert players. A Black Desert Online NPC named Marni references "Delesyia," a Crimson Desert location, during the Deadeye class ascension questline, suggesting some shared lore elements remain.
The relationship between Crimson Desert and Black Desert Online is relevant to Another Journey because Pearl Abyss's extensive experience running Black Desert Online as a live-service MMO means the studio has the technical infrastructure and institutional knowledge required to build and operate online multiplayer systems. The BlackSpace Engine was developed with networking in mind from the ground up, partly because of the studio's background in online game development.
Post-Launch Outlook
During Pearl Abyss's Q4 2025 earnings call on February 12, 2026, executives provided the most concrete public statement about multiplayer's future. The key points from the earnings call include:
Multiplayer and DLC have "early concepts" but development is contingent on the game's sales performance at launch.
The BlackSpace Engine was built with networking capabilities, so the technical foundation for multiplayer already exists.
During an investors' meeting, executives described the potential multiplayer component as being "similar to GTA," suggesting a model where the online mode exists as a separate experience from the single-player campaign, with players forming groups and completing missions together.
No timeline, roadmap, or specific features have been formally announced. DLC and multiplayer concepts are tentatively placed in 2027 based on the studio's broader product roadmap.
Pearl Abyss also confirmed that DokeV, their next major title, is targeted for approximately two years after Crimson Desert's launch (roughly 2028). This suggests the studio plans to stagger major releases, and multiplayer development for Crimson Desert would need to fit within that production schedule.
The statement "We will evaluate market response after launch to decide the path forward" indicates that strong sales are a prerequisite for any multiplayer development to proceed.
Developer Communication
Will Powers also confirmed on the Dropped Frames podcast that there will be zero microtransactions in Crimson Desert, stating: "This is a game designed as a premium experience that you buy and enjoy, not something based on microtransactions. Our goal is to provide an enjoyable world without the interference of additional monetization systems." This commitment was described as applying regardless of any post-launch evolution, including if a multiplayer mode arrives.
Community Reception
Community opinion on multiplayer is divided. Some players have expressed disappointment that Crimson Desert launched without co-op, particularly those who hoped to experience the open world with friends. Steam community threads requesting multiplayer and co-op features appeared within hours of launch. Others argue that the single-player focus is precisely what makes the game stand out, and that adding multiplayer could dilute the narrative-driven experience.
Pearl Abyss has a strong track record with online games through Black Desert Online, which suggests they have the technical expertise to deliver a quality multiplayer experience if they choose to pursue it. The key uncertainty remains whether the commercial response will be strong enough to justify the investment. The game's strong concurrent player numbers at launch (239K Steam peak) and improving review trajectory are encouraging signals, though Pearl Abyss has not publicly indicated what sales threshold would trigger multiplayer development.
Common Misconceptions
Because Crimson Desert is developed by the team behind the MMO Black Desert Online, many players assumed it would have online features at launch. Pearl Abyss repeatedly clarified before release that Crimson Desert is a separate product with no MMO elements. Early marketing materials that referenced multiplayer features refer to plans from the 2019-2021 period that were subsequently deprioritized.
Several gaming websites and community discussions present "Another Journey" as a confirmed upcoming feature. Much of this content recycles the 2020-2021 interview information without noting that these plans may be outdated. The only current official position is that multiplayer remains a possibility "depending on market demand" with no confirmed timeline or features. The "similar to GTA" description from the investors' meeting is the most recent characterization of what any future multiplayer mode might look like, but it is not a commitment to a specific feature set.
It is also important to note that "Another Journey" was explicitly described as a tentative name in the January 2021 interview. If Pearl Abyss does eventually develop a multiplayer mode, it may use a different name entirely.