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Game Length and Content
February 28, 2026 at 08:53 PM
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Pearl Abyss estimates Crimson Desert's total gameplay at 50 to 80 hours, combining the main campaign with side content. However, developer statements suggest the real playtime for thorough explorers could extend well beyond that estimate.
Playstyle | Estimated Hours |
|---|---|
Main campaign only | Shorter portion of total; described as a "small percentage" of all content |
Main campaign with side content | 50 to 80 hours |
Completionist | Potentially hundreds of hours, including all life skills, faction content, and exploration |
Pearl Abyss has repeatedly emphasized that the main story following Kliff and the Greymanes represents only a "small percentage" of the total content available. The campaign drives players through the five regions of Pywel, but the vast majority of the game's systems, encounters, and rewards exist outside the critical path.
The bulk of Crimson Desert's playtime comes from non-campaign content. Pearl Abyss's PR Director reportedly spent over 50 hours engaging with side content during development without barely touching the main narrative. Side content includes:
Faction quests across dozens of factions throughout Pywel
Boss battles scattered across all regions, each with unique mechanics and rewards
Greymane Camp rebuilding and expansion through resource gathering
Life skills including fishing, cooking, hunting, mining, logging, alchemy, and farming
Abyss Dungeons on floating islands with puzzles and platforming challenges
Territory liberation and faction wars
Mini-games like horse racing, arm wrestling, target shooting, and arena fighting
Treasure hunts using treasure maps and puzzles
Companion recruitment and dispatch missions
The open world spans over 74 square kilometers of explorable terrain across the continent of Pywel. Pearl Abyss has stated the map is at least twice the size of Skyrim and comparable to Red Dead Redemption 2. The five main regions (Hernand, Pailune, Demeniss, Delesyia, and the Crimson Desert region) each contain their own towns, dungeons, faction conflicts, and environmental challenges.
The world is intentionally designed to distract players from the main quest. Dynamic events, NPC encounters, exploration rewards, and emergent gameplay pull attention away from the critical path at every turn. Pearl Abyss has described the game as a potential "forever game" for players who want to fully explore every corner of Pywel and engage with all of its systems.
Pearl Abyss chose not to release a public demo before launch, citing the complexity of creating a representative standalone section of such an interconnected open world. Press hands-on sessions were available at events like Gamescom 2025, but these were curated boss-fight encounters rather than free-roam experiences.
