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Sales and Commercial Performance - Version 16 vs Version 17
Jun 9, 2026, 06:36 AM
Removed duplicate in-body wikilinks
Jun 13, 2026, 03:32 AM
Added confirmed 5 million (April 15 2026, 26 days) and 6 million (June 11 2026, 83 days) copies milestones plus the No.2 Circana 2026 YTD US ranking
11Overview22Crimson Desert launched globally on March 19, 2026 across PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S at a retail price of $69.99 for the standard edition ($79.99 for the Deluxe Edition). Developed and published by Pearl Abyssthe game sold over two million copies within its first 24 hours, making it the fastest-selling title in the studio's history and a landmark launch for a Korean-developed game. Despite strong unit sales and concurrent player numbers on Steam, the game's launch was accompanied by a dramatic drop in Pearl Abyss's stock price after review scores fell short of investor expectations.44Pre-Launch Anticipation66In the months leading up to launchCrimson Desert accumulated significant momentum across storefronts. Tracking data showed the game had amassed approximately 2.2 million wishlists on Steam by mid-March 2026. Pearl Abyss confirmed the total across all platforms surpassed 3 million wishlists, a figure the studio celebrated publicly on social media in the week before release.88Wishlist growth accelerated sharply after Pearl Abyss announced on January 22, 2026 that Crimson Desert had gone gold, confirming it would meet its March 19 release date. More than one million new wishlists were added between early February and launch day.1010Pre-Order Sales Estimates1212Industry tracking estimated that Crimson Desert had sold approximately 363,000 copies on Steam before the game even launched. This translated to estimated gross revenues of over $20 million from Steam pre-orders alone. On March 16, three days before release, roughly 10% of those pre-orders (around 36,000 units) came in on a single day, adding an estimated $2.6 million in revenue.1414To put these pre-launch numbers in context, the same tracking data showed Crimson Desert was running ahead of both Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 ($5.2 million in pre-launch Steam sales at the same point) and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ($2.4 million) at equivalent stages before their respective releases.1616Pre-Launch Comparison1818GameSteam Pre-Launch Revenue (3 Days Before)Crimson Desert~$20 million (est. ~363,000 copies)Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2~$5.2 millionClair Obscur: Expedition 33~$2.4 million2020Launch Day Sales2121Pearl Abyss officially announced on March 20, 2026 that Crimson Desert had sold more than two million copies worldwide within approximately 16 hours of its Steam unlock time. Some sources reported the milestone as being reached within the first 24 hours; regardless of the exact window, the achievement represented a massive opening for the title.2323In a public statement, Pearl Abyss said: "We are incredibly humbled to share that Crimson Desert has sold through two million copies worldwide." The studio also acknowledged player feedback about controls and other issues, promising to "listen closely to the wide range of feedback shared by the community and work to make improvements quickly."2525The two-million-unit milestone in under a day made Crimson Desert one of the strongest single-day launches of 2026 and a record for a Korean-developed game.2727Steam Player Records2929Crimson Desert reached a peak of approximately 239,045 concurrent players on Steam within the first two hours after launch. Some sources rounded this figure to nearly 250,000. This placed it among the top Steam launches of 2026 at the time.31312026 Steam Launch Comparison3333GamePeak Concurrent Steam PlayersSlay the Spire 2~574,638Resident Evil Requiem~344,214Crimson Desert~239,0453535At launch, Crimson Desert was the third-largest new release on Steam in 2026 by peak concurrent players, trailing only Slay the Spire 2 and Resident Evil Requiem.3636Steam User Reviews3838Crimson Desert launched to a "Mixed" rating on Steam. Within the first 12 hours, the game accumulated roughly 8,700 user reviews with approximately 57% positive. Over 40% of reviews were negative, with the most common complaints centered on controls, camera issues, and a perceived lack of clear guidance for in-game systems.4040The Steam review score contrasted with professional critic assessments. the game held a score of 78 ("Generally Favorable") based on 85 critic reviews. it scored 80 out of 100 based on 48 reviews. For additional context on the critical response, see the Critical Reception article.4242Pearl Abyss Stock Impact4444The launch of Crimson Desert had a dramatic and widely reported effect on Pearl Abyss Corp's share price (KOSDAQ: 263750). The timeline of stock movements reflected a cycle of anticipation, euphoria, and correction tied directly to the game's development milestones and review scores.4646Pre-Launch Surge4848Between December 30, 2025 and January 30, 2026, Pearl Abyss shares rose approximately 53%, climbing from around 37,400 KRW to 57,200 KRW. This surge was driven by the January 22 announcement that Crimson Desert had gone gold, confirming a firm release date. Investor confidence continued to build through February and into March, with the stock reaching an all-time high of 68,500 KRW on March 16, 2026, three days before launch. Compared to its price on March 16, 2025, this represented roughly a 125% year-over-year increase.5050Post-Review Crash5252When the review embargo lifted on the evening of March 18 (ahead of the March 19 launch), the score settled at 78. While objectively a "Generally Favorable" rating, investors had reportedly expected a score in the mid-to-high 80s or above for a project of Crimson Desert's scale and seven-year development cycle. When the Korean stock market opened on the morning of March 19, Pearl Abyss shares plummeted nearly 30%, falling from 65,600 KRW (the previous close) to approximately 46,000 KRW. Korean financial coverage placed the drop at 29%.5454Stock Price Timeline5656DateEventShare Price (KRW)ChangeDec 30, 2025Baseline before gone-gold announcement~37,400n/aJan 22, 2026Crimson Desert goes goldRisingSurge beginsJan 30, 2026One month after baseline~57,200+53%Mar 16, 2026All-time high (3 days before launch)68,500+83% from baselineMar 18, 2026Market close before reviews~65,600Holding near peakMar 19, 2026Post-review crash~46,000~-30% from prior close5858Investor Expectations vs. Reality5959The disconnect between strong unit sales (two million copies in a day) and the stock crash highlighted the outsized role that review scores played in investor sentiment. Market analysts had reportedly modeled Pearl Abyss's valuation with the assumption that Crimson Desert would achieve a score of 85 to 90 or higher. A score of 78, while solid by most standards, triggered a sell-off as investors repriced their expectations for the game's long-term revenue potential.6161It is worth noting that the stock decline occurred before the two-million-unit sales figure was announced. The sales milestone, confirmed approximately 16 hours after launch, demonstrated that commercial demand remained strong despite mixed critical sentiment.6363Context and Significance6565Crimson Desert represents the most commercially significant single-player release from a Korean studio to date. Pearl Abyss is best known for Black Desert Onlinethe MMORPG that generated over $2 billion in lifetime revenue across PC, console, and mobile by early 2024. Crimson Desert marked a strategic pivot for the studio, delivering a single-player action-adventure experience rather than an ongoing service game. For more on the game's origins and lengthy production, see Development History.6767The combination of blockbuster first-day sales with a polarized reception also drew comparisons to other high-profile launches that experienced strong commercial openings alongside divided critical and user sentiment.6969Post-Launch and Multiplayer7171Pearl Abyss has confirmed plans for a multiplayer component, titled Another Journeywhich is expected to arrive as a post-launch update. The commercial trajectory of Crimson Desert going forward will depend in part on how effectively the studio addresses community feedback through patches and whether the multiplayer mode sustains or expands the player base over time.7373Key Milestones Summary7575MilestoneFigureSteam wishlists (pre-launch)~2.2 millionTotal wishlists (all platforms)3 million+Steam pre-order copies~363,000Steam pre-order revenue~$20 millionCopies sold (first ~16-24 hours)2 million+Peak concurrent Steam players~239,045Steam user review ratingMixed (~57% positive)score78 (Generally Favorable)score80 / 100Pearl Abyss stock (all-time high)68,500 KRW (Mar 16)Pearl Abyss stock (post-review)~46,000 KRW (Mar 19)7777Sales Milestones7878Crimson Desert achieved strong commercial performance immediately following its launch. The game sold 2 million copies within its first 24 hoursmaking it one of the fastest-selling new IPs of 2026. Within four days, that figure rose to 3 million copies. By late March 2026, the Pearl Abyss CEO confirmed the game had sold nearly 5 million copiesin subsequent industry reporting.8080Steam Performance8282On Steam, Crimson Desert reached a peak of approximately 276,261 concurrent players on March 29, 2026,. User reviews on the platform gradually improved from an initial rating of "Mixed" to "Mostly Positive" (above 73% positive). This reflects the impact of rapid post-launch patches that addressed player feedback.8484Around the time of Crimson Desert's launch, Steam as a platform set a new record of 42.3 million peak concurrent usersthough this figure reflects total platform activity and not just Crimson Desert players.8686Market Impact8888Pearl Abyss's stock experienced significant volatility around the launch period. Shares initially dropped roughly 30% when early reviews landed under a review embargo. However, once the strong sales numbers came in, the stock rebounded by 27.76%, demonstrating investor confidence in the game's long-term commercial trajectory.9090Critic Scores vs. User Enthusiasm9292A significant gap emerged between professional critic scores and player reception. While the aggregate settled at 77 on PC and 74 on PS5 (with the market expecting mid-to-high 80s), Steam user reviews climbed to 85% positive (rated "Very Positive") from over 37,364 reviews. the user score reached 8.8 out of 10, well above the critic aggregate. This discrepancy became a major talking point, with many players arguing that the critic scores undersold the experience, particularly for those willing to invest time past the steep initial learning curve.9494Four Million Copies in Two Weeks9696By early April 2026, approximately two weeks after launch, Crimson Desert surpassed 4 million copies sold across all platforms. This figure extended the trajectory set by the initial milestones of 2 million copies in 24 hours and 3 million copies in roughly four days. The continued sales momentum indicated sustained demand beyond the launch window, even as critics and players debated the game's strengths and shortcomings.9898Five and Six Million Copies100+Crimson Desert surpassed 5 million copies sold worldwide on April 15, 2026, reaching the milestone in 26 days. Pearl Abyss described that as the fastest pace in the history of Korean console games. The game then crossed 6 million copies sold worldwide on June 11, 2026, 83 days after launch. Pearl Abyss noted that the title ranked second in Circana’s 2026 year-to-date United States video game sales, a strong result for a new single-player IP competing with established franchises.102+See Also100104Critical Reception for a detailed breakdown of professional and user reviewsDevelopment History for the game's seven-year development journeyAnother Journey (Multiplayer) for the upcoming multiplayer expansionPearl Abyss for studio background and other titlesPatch Notes for post-launch updates addressing player feedback
