In a world where companies lock base game content behind $100 Ultimate Editions (cough, Rockstar, cough), it’s interesting to note anomalies like Crimson Desert. Sure, it retails for $70, but Pearl Abyss has been releasing weekly updates that offer more than fixes, adding brand-new game systems, armor sets, and even new abilities. And best of all, they’re completely free.
Marketing and strategic planning expert Will Powers previously explained that the studio won’t stop with the free updates as long as there’s demand. Heck, there’s also a plan to release more until September, not to mention DLC at some point in the future. But it’s about more than just increasing sales.
“A new IP selling five million copies in a month should be celebrated. There’s too many layoffs and studio closures, and bad news that I think that we all could benefit from spending some time around the good news,” said Powers to CG Mag.
“This should be a celebration in general, because Pearl Abyss isn’t taking a victory lap in the sense of ‘All right, how can we sell more?’ It’s ‘How can we give more back to the community?’”
Instead, the development team’s post-launch focus is more on “what we can do to reward the players that have been there from day one and continue to make the game this living, breathing experience.”
Story improvements are one such endeavor and while the core structure of the campaign won’t change, you can expect cutscene improvements to “clarify” certain elements and provide a “better onboarding experience.” New players are rewarded for sure, but Pearl Abyss isn’t disrespecting the time that current players have already put in.
And while details on DLC remain a mystery, Powers clarified that it will be “different from all the updates” released thus far. He also noted that there’s a “good reason why we’re calling it a DLC,” perhaps hinting at the overall scope.
As always, time will tell, but whether you agree with Pearl Abyss’s motives or not, there’s no denying the impressive post-launch support. Crimson Desert is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC – check out everything you should know about the latest update, which adds 58 new house items and allows Oongka and Damiane to ride Blackstar.
