While it may not have been as apparent in the early stages of development and public marketing, it has become increasingly clear that Pearl Abyss’ upcoming single-player RPG, Crimson Desert, is of a scale we rarely see in games in general.
Any way you look at it, the scale of the world, the amount of intertwined systems running at any given time, the scale of the narrative and the inherent rules of the world of Pywel, to even get to where the team is right now is an absolutely massive achievement; on the threshold of release.
When the game launched a while ago, we sent some questions to the development team in hopes of narrowing down the focus on some of the game’s various systems and areas of focus, making it easier for you to understand the scope of its ambitions. We’d also like to point you in the direction of our official preview from Alex a little while ago, for more first-hand experiences with the game.
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When people talk about the Crimson Desert, they seem to focus on scale and size. Can you say anything concrete about the game’s potential length? How long is the main story estimated to take in hours played, and how much content have you hidden out in the world?
“In terms of playing time, the main story is designed to be a substantial single-player experience, but the exact length will vary greatly depending on how you play – whether you focus on the main course or spend time exploring, fighting optional bosses and participating in side activities.
“Beyond the main story, a significant amount of content is woven into the world itself. We built Pywel to reward curiosity through exploration, encounters, puzzles, and life activities like cooking, crafting, gathering, and mining. Rather than presenting everything as a checklist up front, many of these opportunities are discovered naturally as you move through the world, allowing players to choose how deep they want to go. We understand that this is a bit vague, but we also want to keep this as a mystery for our players to discover after release.”
If we look beyond these numbers; how has it been to follow the discourse around the game? How has the game changed over the course of development and are you happy with where it is today in terms of the expectations of the gaming audience?
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“It’s been motivating to follow the discussion in the community. During the first phase of development, Crimson Desert changed direction, and today we describe it as an action-adventure experience – real-time cinematic action, combat, movement and a world built for exploration.”
“The current vision for Crimson Desert is in line with what the team set out to create, and represents a clear and cohesive experience. While the discourse will always vary, we’re excited about what we’ve created, and we’re doing our best to stick with the original vision and stay true to it.”
In terms of genre and structure, how has Black Desert Online influenced the game’s design, and would you call Crimson Desert “live-service”-like despite being a single-player game?
“Our experience developing Black Desert gave us expertise and perspective in designing large open worlds, combat responsiveness and technical performance, which further evolved with the development of the BlackSpace Engine on which Crimson Desert is built.
“Unlike Black Desert, Crimson Desert is not designed as a live service. Our vision for Crimson Desert was a different kind of gaming experience, which involved a shift in the pace and structure of the game.
“Crimson Desert is a single-player game with a defined beginning and end. While the world is dynamic and system-driven, it should not be confused with live-service design. Everything is built to serve the player’s journey, not a service model.”
Going back to fan expectations, there are a lot of “Souls” comparisons thrown around in general. Have you been inspired by that series, or is this something completely different?
“We understand why these comparisons come up, especially when players see deliberate combat, challenging enemies, and visually striking boss encounters. That said, Crimson Desert is not designed as a Souls-like game.
“Both styles are fun in different ways. Our combat philosophy emphasizes combo-based controls, fluid transitions, and player-driven skill rather than relying on tight dodge windows, rigid positioning, or memorizing enemy patterns through repeated mistakes.
“This experience is meant to feel dynamic and cinematic, rewarding creativity and adaptability as much as precision. The level of difficulty also comes from the many different situations, options and enemies players face. Ultimately, we want matches to feel expressive and allow players to develop their own style rather than forcing them into a set rhythm or formula.”
Does the game offer different levels of difficulty, or adjustable difficulty?
“Currently Crimson Desert does not offer different difficulty levels.
“But at the same time, we want players to be able to enjoy the game’s story, world and battles. That’s why we’ve implemented a number of choices for players when preparing for battle or difficult moments, such as choosing equipment that can be discovered and upgraded, reinforcements from consumables, abilities, etc. that allow players to lower the difficulty level by strengthening themselves.”
To return to the sources of inspiration and the scale of the world: You see an almost sci-fi-like mirror world at one point; the crow-like flying ability, the steampunk-inspired dragon. Why are there so many different styles present? Is it intentional and what are the intentions behind it?
“We took inspiration from our real world. If we go to certain parts of the world, there are areas and places that look very futuristic or unfamiliar to us, and we wanted to implement that feeling into the world.
“So when the player goes to a certain region, he or she will be able to see and experience the unique patterns of the people, and that they may have different ways of gathering resources and energy, which sets them apart.
“A lot of our level designers worked really hard to blend these styles that wouldn’t normally go well together.”
Crimson Desert finally launches on March 19th, and below you can watch the three latest gameplay walkthrough trailers, which focus on different aspects of Pywel’s world.
date:2026-02-14 13:00:00
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