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Post-Launch Content - Version 37 vs Version 38
May 23, 2026, 04:02 PM
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11Overview22Crimson Desert launched on March 19, 2026, as a single-player only experience with no microtransactions of any kind. Pearl Abyss has taken a measured approach to post-launch content, focusing on delivering a complete game at launch while leaving the door open for future additions based on player reception and demand. Will Powers, Director of Marketing, stated: "If there's appetite for something, then we'll continue to support it post-launch."44Pearl Abyss has emphasized that "there are currently no finished contents that are being artificially withheld." Any future downloadable content will be substantial paid expansions rather than small cosmetic purchases.66Following a strong commercial launch that saw the game approach 5 million copies sold within its first ten daysPearl Abyss CEO Heo Jin-young pledged continued support at the company's 17th annual general shareholders meeting on March 27, 2026. He stated: "We will upgrade Crimson Desert based on user feedback and strive to make it a game loved for a long time." Free content updates have been confirmed, with the studio prioritizing improvements to the base game before committing to paid expansions or DLC.88Post-Launch Feature Status1010FeatureStatusDetailsDay-1 PatchReleased3.1 GB patch addressing quest progression, QTE difficulty, housing, and animationsPatch 1.01.00Released (March 28, 2026)Major update: 5 new summonable mountsRefinement Tokensstamina rebalancing, 4K output on PS5, reduced loading times, and dozens of QoL improvementsPatch 1.01.01Released (March 30, 2026)Hotfix for mount bugs, tempering UIBlackstar boss, and A.T.A.G. destruction issues introduced in 1.01.00Twitch DropsActive (March 19 to April 1)Blue Scout cosmetic set and Blue Scout Horse Armor via linked Pearl Abyss IDMultiplayer ModeUnlikely in near futureCEO confirmed internal testing revealed unacceptable graphical compromises on current hardware; no timeline announcedSwitch 2 PortR&D begunCEO confirmed internal research and development has started, though graphical concessions will be necessaryDLC / ExpansionsConditionalSubstantial paid expansions to world and story; no roadmap published; CEO says base game sales take priority firstMicrotransactionsNoneSingle-player permanently free of MTX ("full stop"); future multiplayer mode may include cosmetic purchasesMod SupportUndecidedPearl Abyss open to discussion post-launch; no guarantees from studio standpointBlackSpace Engine not publicly availableFree UpdatesConfirmedCEO committed to ongoing free updates based on user feedback to make the game "loved for a long time"1212Day-1 Patch1313Crimson Desert received a 3.1 GB day-1 patch alongside its launch on March 19, 2026. The patch addressed a range of issues discovered during the final QA period between the game going gold in January and the release date. Key fixes are listed in the official patch notes.1515CategoryChangesQuest ProgressionFixed multiple quest progression blockers; added a new tutorial quest at the start of Chapter 3 that introduces players to Abyss Gears and how they functionQTE DifficultyAdjusted Quick Time Event difficulty when captured by enemies; timing windows widened for standard difficulty to reduce frustrationHousing ModeUsability improvements to the housing placement system; improved object snapping, camera controls, and menu navigationNPC Dialogue and VoiceImproved NPC dialogue responses and reactions during conversations; fixed instances of mismatched voice lines and subtitlesAnimation and VisualsFixed animation blending issues, movement stutter during transitions, lip-sync timing in cutscenes, visual clipping on certain armor sets, and various voice acting mismatches1717Patch 1.01.00 (March 28, 2026)1818Patch 1.01.00 was rolled out on March 28, 2026 (18:00 UTC), representing the first major content update after launch. The patch was available immediately on Steam (PC/Mac), PlayStation, and Xbox, with Epic Games Store and Mac App Store receiving it shortly after. This update pushed Crimson Desert's Steam user reviews to "Very Positive" status.2020New Mounts2222feature of patch 1.01.00 was the addition of five new summonable mountsobtainable by completing specific in-game conditions. Unlike previous temporary horse mounts, these animals can be summoned at will and ridden freely through towns, since "the people of Pywel are not afraid of tamed animals." Players who had already caught the Legendary Animals before the patch received retroactive mount rewards.2424MountCategoryHow to ObtainWhite BearLegendary AnimalCatch the White Bear legendary animalSilver FangLegendary AnimalCatch the Silver Fang legendary animalSnowwhite DeerLegendary AnimalCatch the Snowwhite Deer legendary animalRock Tusk WarthogBoss MountDefeat the Rock Tusk Warthog bossIcicle Edge Alpine IbexBoss MountDefeat the Icicle Edge Alpine Ibex boss2626Refinement Tokens2727A new item called the Refinement Token (also referred to as Refinement Coin) was introduced. Refinement Tokens allow equipment to be tempered up to Stage 4 without consuming any additional materials. They can be obtained as rewards from certain main quests and faction questsgiving players a reliable way to strengthen their gear through normal progression.2929Combat and Stamina Adjustments3131The patch delivered significant rebalancing to stamina costs across multiple movement and combat actions:3333Sprinting and Crow Wings: Stamina consumption reducedFlightStamina consumption reduced; equipment can now be used while flying; character no longer briefly stops before moving after activationAerial StabStamina cost now increases with each consecutive use rather than being flat, discouraging infinite loops; animation improvements appliedAerial Maneuver and Aerial SwingStamina requirements reducedRunning mechanics: Movement speed increases by holding the running key or tapping it once; speed no longer decreases without continuous input, though maintaining full sprint still requires periodic input3535Additional combat changes included expanded NPC interaction range, improved character turning responsiveness during short movements, weak point indicator effects for each element, and a fix preventing bosses from attacking players immediately after revival.3737Quality-of-Life Improvements3939Make Now function: Enables immediate cooking and crafting without navigating separate ingredient selection menusStore All function: Quickly moves items from inventory to private storage (Shift+RMB on PC)Material chests: New chests containing various materials placed throughout PywelWholesale grocer NPCsAdded to regional farms across PywelShop knowledge: Learning time for shop items streamlined to 3 secondsWells: Now yield 5 water units per collection instead of 1Knowledge Helm: Acquires all visible obtainable knowledge simultaneouslyPirate King HatTreasure detection range slightly increasedInventory: Item selection changed from mouse hover to mouse click; items sold via double-click in shops4141Graphics and Performance4343PlayStation 5: "Fixed 4K Output" option added and enabled by default, allowing 4K output regardless of native display supportDLSS-RR: Preset changed from D to E; displacement mapping corrected; texture animations restoredTranslucent materials: Rendering of hair, fur, and clothing improved with FSR-RR/DLSS-RRLoading times: Reduced for Abyss Traces travel and post-death respawningCrowcaller battle: Frame rate drops resolvedExtended sessions: Screen noise issue eliminated4545UI and Minimap4747Minimap: Can now be fixed with North at top; icons added for keys, anvils, and faction facilitiesSkills menu: Displays next-level stat increasesNotifications: Menu expanded to 2,000 entries with improved quest progress and reward trackingRecipesCooking and crafting recipes grouped by type (Filling, Satisfying, Hearty)Photo ModeCamera distance increased with FOV adjustment and shutter sound added4949Notable Bug Fixes5151Prologue quest "New Journey" progression blocker resolved (Sebastian object throw)Chapter 2 "Missing Companion" delivery target disappearance fixedChapter 3 "Dance with the Devil" totem count issue addressedBank interest money disappearance resolvedPet looting during combat corrected; pets stay closer during fightsMultiple localization errors fixed across all supported languages5353Patch 1.01.01 Hotfix (March 30, 2026)5555A follow-up hotfix was deployed on March 30, 2026 (00:20 UTC) to address bugs introduced by the 1.01.00 update. The patch was available immediately on Steam (PC/Mac), PlayStation, and Xbox, with Epic Games Store and Mac App Store receiving it at a later time. The hotfix targeted eight specific issues:5757Fixed an issue where the "Use" button for the Talisman of the 5 new mounts appeared on Damiane and OongkaFixed Blackstar remaining airborne after death instead of disappearing properlyFixed the A.T.A.G. not being destroyed when its Health reached 0Fixed the tempering target selection UI becoming unavailable under certain conditionsFixed abnormal horse movement when holding the follow button during NPC missionsFixed the White Bear mount's sprint ability being unusableFixed the Constellation Helm's examine function rendering controls temporarily unavailableFixed equipment refinement being impossible for Damiane and Oongka5959Twitch Drops Campaign6161Pearl Abyss ran a Twitch Drops promotion from March 19 to April 1, 2026, split into two weekly phases. Viewers could earn exclusive cosmetic items by watching partnered Crimson Desert streams on Twitch with a linked Pearl Abyss ID.6363Week 1 Rewards (March 19 to March 25)6565The first week offered the Blue Scout cosmetic set, a collection of six wearable items plus bonus food consumables:6767RewardTypeBlue Scout LanternAccessoryBlue Scout JewelryAccessoryBlue Scout ShieldCosmetic shield skinBlue Scout CloakCosmetic cloak skinBlue Scout ArmorCosmetic armor skinBlue Scout HatCosmetic hat skinFood ItemsAssorted consumable food bundles6969Week 2 Rewards (March 26 to April 1)7070The second week offered the Blue Scout Horse Armora cosmetic barding skin for the player's mount. This was the final reward in the launch window Twitch Drops campaign.7272Requirements7474To receive Twitch Drops, players needed a Pearl Abyss account linked to their Twitch account. Drops were claimed through the Twitch inventory page and delivered in-game after linking. The campaign applied to all platforms (PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S).7676Multiplayer Plans7878Crimson Desert launched without any multiplayer features. The game was originally conceived as a massively multiplayer online game (MMO), drawing on Pearl Abyss's earlier work on Black Desert Online. During development, the team pivoted to a single-player action RPG, deciding that the story of Kliff and the Greymanes was better served by a focused solo experience. The previously announced multiplayer mode was set aside so the team could concentrate entirely on the single-player campaign.8080Despite the pivot, Pearl Abyss discussed multiplayer as a possibility for post-launch during a September 2024 Kiwoom Securities investor briefing, stating plans to "develop multiplayer online content for the game, similar to GTA's multiplayer mode" after launch. The comparison to GTA Online suggested a separate multiplayer module built on top of the single-player game rather than integrated co-op within the story campaign.8282However, at the company's annual shareholders meeting on March 27, 2026, CEO Heo Jin-young provided a significantly less optimistic update. He revealed that the development team had internally attempted to implement multiplayerbut found the results unsatisfactory. In his words: "The development team did attempt to implement multiplayer internally, but given current hardware limitations, there are clear graphical sacrifices required." This was the first time Pearl Abyss cited technical limitations as a barrier to multiplayer. The CEO did not provide any timeline for when or if multiplayer might be revisited, making it effectively unlikely in the near future.8484Potential Multiplayer Features8686The earlier investor briefing outlined several multiplayer features that Pearl Abyss had considered. These are not confirmed for development and remain contingent on player demand and internal prioritization. Given the CEO's March 2026 comments about graphical limitations, the feasibility of these features is uncertain.8888FeatureDescriptionCo-operative MissionsTeam-based missions completed with other playersPvP CombatPlayer versus player battles using the existing combat systemHorse RacingCompetitive racing using the game's mount systemMini-GamesAdditional competitive or cooperative activitiesGroup FishingSocial fishing trips with other playersPlayer Groups ("Gangs")Formation of persistent player groups for shared activities9090Technical Foundation and Shared Progression9191The BlackSpace Engine was built from the ground up to support shared environments and networked gameplay, meaning the technical foundation for multiplayer already exists. Pearl Abyss confirmed that if multiplayer is added, levels, items, and skills would be shared between single-player and multiplayer modes. Players would not need to start over or maintain separate save files.9393In public interviews, Will Powers has been more conservative than the investor briefing, describing multiplayer as "post-launch discussions" with no firm commitment. The CEO's March 2026 shareholders meeting comments further tempered expectations, indicating that the graphical fidelity of the single-player experience cannot currently be maintained alongside real-time multiplayer networking on existing console hardware.9595Nintendo Switch 2 Port9797At the March 27, 2026 shareholders meeting, CEO Heo Jin-young confirmed that Pearl Abyss has begun internal research and development for a potential Nintendo Switch 2 port of Crimson Desert. He stated: "While there are some aspects we have to compromise on because the Switch currently has lower specifications compared to other consoles, we have begun research and development internally with a keen interest."9999The CEO acknowledged that the handheld's hardware would necessitate visual concessions compared to the PC and current-generation console versions. No release window or timeline was provided, and the R&D phase does not guarantee that a port will ultimately ship. The strong sales performance, approaching 5 million copies across existing platforms, appears to be motivating the exploration of additional platforms.101101Revenue Model103103Pearl Abyss confirmed that Crimson Desert has no microtransactions, no cash shop, no battle pass, and no in-game currency purchases. Will Powers was unambiguous: "This is a game designed as a premium experience that you buy and enjoy, not something based on microtransactions. This is the premium experience, that is the transaction. Full stop."105105French outlet GeeksLands confirmed after speaking with the development team that there are "absolutely zero microtransactions, regardless of post-launch evolution." This rules out any cosmetic shop or premium currency being added to the single-player game at any point.107107Revenue for Crimson Desert comes from three sources:109109AspectDetailsBase game priceThe standard retail purchase price across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|SEdition upgradesPremium and collector's editions offering bonus content (see Pre-Order and Edition Content)Future expansion packsAny post-launch DLC will be substantial paid expansions to the game world and story, not small cosmetic packs111111The investor briefing indicated that a future multiplayer mode could feature in-game cosmetic purchases (skins, weapons), but the single-player content would remain permanently free of microtransactions. This mirrors the GTA V model where the base game stayed untouched while GTA Online introduced its own monetization.112112DLC and Expansion Plans114114No formal DLC roadmap has been published. Pearl Abyss has indicated that any paid additions would be substantial expansions to the game world and story, not small cosmetic packs. Both free and paid DLC remain possible, with decisions contingent on market reception.116116Will Powers cited Black Desert Online's track record: "It's 11 years since the Korean servers launched, and weekly content updates. So if the appetite is there, then I'm sure the developers will find a way to continue support."118118At the March 2026 shareholders meeting, CEO Heo Jin-young stated that a specific DLC plan had not yet been confirmed. He explained that the company's current priority is to "first focus on stabilizing the game and expanding base game sales, and decide its direction with profitability in mind." This suggests that paid DLC or expansion announcements are unlikely until the base game's sales trajectory and player retention are better understood.120120Mod Support122122Crimson Desert launched without mod support. Will Powers addressed the topic in a acknowledging that modding had never been part of Pearl Abyss's workflow: "Historically, this has never even been a conversation at the studio" because the company has always made MMOs where player-side modding was not viable.124124Powers expressed personal openness to the idea: "I think it makes sense, specifically for the PC audience, and we need to have those conversations about what it looks like post-launch." He noted that he personally "doesn't see the problem with it, as a single-player game."126126However, Powers was careful not to make promises on behalf of the studio: "I can't guarantee our stance... from a studio standpoint, on whether we're fully supportive of PC modding." The team plans to revisit the topic after launch, but no timeline has been set. The BlackSpace Engine has not been released to the public, which could make unofficial modding more technically challenging even if official tools are not provided.128128Developer Resources130130Pearl Abyss has several projects beyond Crimson Desert. The original plan, shared during investor briefings before launch, allocated roughly 50 of the 170-person Crimson Desert development team to remain on post-launch support (including potential multiplayer development), with the remainder shifting to other projects.132132At the March 27, 2026 shareholders meeting, CEO Heo Jin-young confirmed that the core development team has transitioned to DokeVPearl Abyss's open-world creature-collecting game first revealed in 2019. Heo estimated DokeV would require "about two to three years from the current timeline to completion and polishing." He added: "DokeV in particular is being prepared for a swift unveiling after Crimson Desert, and our goal is to disclose development progress at an appropriate time."134134A dedicated post-launch team continues to support Crimson Desert with patches and free content updates, as demonstrated by the rapid release of patches 1.01.00 and 1.01.01 within ten days of launch. The studio's distribution of resources is outlined below:136136AssignmentFocusCrimson Desert Post-Launch TeamOngoing patches, free content updates, bug fixes, and platform optimizationsDokeV (Core Team)Open-world creature-collecting game; estimated two to three years to completionBlack Desert Online (Separate Team)Continued weekly updates for the 11-year-old MMO138138Sales and Reception139139Crimson Desert exceeded Pearl Abyss's public sales expectations of 3 to 4 million copies. The game sold 2 million copies within 24 hours of its March 19 launch and reached 3 million copies in four days. It hit number one on Steam's global revenue chart and peaked at 240,000 concurrent players on the platform, with Twitch viewership reaching 540,000 peak viewers.142142By the time of the March 27 shareholders meeting, the game was approaching 5 million copies sold. CEO Heo Jin-young told shareholders: "Next time, we aim to quickly inform shareholders of reaching 5 million sales, and all employees will strive to achieve the best possible performance by the end of the year." The strong commercial reception has motivated Pearl Abyss to continue investing in post-launch support and to explore additional platforms such as the Nintendo Switch 2.144144Early hands-on previews were overwhelmingly positive, with critics calling the game a strong candidate for Game of the Year 2026. Following the release of patch 1.01.00, Steam user reviews climbed to "Very Positive" status. This reflects the community's appreciation for the rapid pace of post-launch improvements.
