Get unlimited access to everything VICE has to offer.

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

4 Magazines Delivered to Your Door

Pearl Abyss Addresses Disappointing Crimson Desert Story

Many Crimson Desert players have expressed disappointment with the fantasy RPG’s narrative, prompting Pearl Abyss CEO to comment.

Share on X (Opens in new window)X

Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook

Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard

The CEO of Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss has shared his thoughts about the game’s story and players’ dissatisfaction with it just over a week after the fantasy RPG’s launch.

Gamers Aren’t happy with Crimson desert’s story

Coming into 2026, Crimson Desert was one of the biggest and most anticipated game releases for early 2026 next to titles like Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem and PlayStation’s imminent Saros. Part of the Black Desert Online universe, Crimson Desert was spun into a standalone RPG by developer Pearl Abyss, who wanted to take a crack at a massive open world single-player experience.

Crimson Desert‘s release just over a week ago was a mixed one. While the PC version of the RPG currently sits at a solid 79 on Metactitic with an 8.6 audience score, the game is not without its controversies, as players quickly noticed AI-generated assets populating the game, which violated Valve’s Steam policy on AI disclosure. That said, Crimson Desert‘s story also caught a lot of flak from gamers who were hoping for a stronger, more fleshed out narrative. Many specifically criticize the game’s protagonist, Kliff, feeling that the Greymane leader left a lot to be desired.

PEarl Abyss CEO comments on Crimson desert story criticism

In a recent shareholder Q&A reported on by South Korean outlet Yonhap News Agency, Pearl Abyss CEO Heo Jin-young expressed that he’s in alignment with fans’ dissatisfaction of Crimson Desert and its narrative specifically, and that he recognizes the studio could’ve done more to improve the RPG’s storytelling.

“I sympathize to some extent with the disappointment users feel regarding the story,” Heo Jin-young said. “I think it would have been nice if we could have done a better job with it. The production team tried to make up for the shortcomings in the remaining time, but ultimately, we focused on strengthening the gameplay, which is what we do best.”

He went on to explain how Crimson Desert‘s combat and gameplay took on more of a priority for the team. And despite the game’s AI controversy and narrative shortcomings, it’s managed to sell extraordinarily well within its first week, crossing three million units sold. It could even find itself being a top-five seller through the first six months of 2026, which is quite impressive given the game’s mixed sentiment.

On Crimson Desert‘s future, Heo Jin-young mentioned how Pearl Abyss is looking to expand on its new fantasy RPG in the future, noting that the team is focused on shoring up the core game first with patches before potentially looking towards DLC or expansions.

“While it is good to see sales driven by expansion packs, I believe there are games that generate revenue by increasing sales of the base game as content expands. I want to make strategic decisions that ensure the base game of Crimson Desert sells well.”

If a story DLC is in the cards for Crimson Desert in the future, it’ll surely be interesting to see whether it improves upon the base game’s narrative quality, especially since the combat and gameplay elements that Pearl Abyss prioritized during the game’s main development would be mostly set in stone by that point.

Crimson Desert is available now for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Share on X (Opens in new window)X

Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook

Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard

Pearl Abyss Addresses Disappointing Crimson Desert Story 8 minutes ago By John Bonelli

Pearl Abyss Addresses Disappointing Crimson Desert Story

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella) Guns N’ Roses Keyboardist Melissa Reese Will Not Be Joining the Band on Tour Due To ‘Unforeseen Personal Reasons’ 36 minutes ago By Stephen Andrew Galiher

Guns N’ Roses Keyboardist Melissa Reese Will Not Be Joining the Band on Tour Due To ‘Unforeseen Personal Reasons’

By Stephen Andrew Galiher

Photo by Pedro Gomes/Redferns Muse Just Announced a 2026 North American Tour with Bloc Party and Portugal. the Man 37 minutes ago By Nick Stockton

Muse Just Announced a 2026 North American Tour with Bloc Party and Portugal. the Man

(Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) J. Cole Explains Why He’s Actually Not The Best Rapper Alive 51 minutes ago By Caleb Catlin

J. Cole Explains Why He’s Actually Not The Best Rapper Alive

(Photo by Joseph Okpako/Getty Images for MOBO) 3 New Hip-Hop and R&B Songs You Must Hear This Week (3/27/26) 2 hours ago By Caleb Catlin

3 New Hip-Hop and R&B Songs You Must Hear This Week (3/27/26)

(Photo by Per Ole Hagen/Redferns) New Music Friday: 5 Songs You Need to Hear This Week (3/27) 2 hours ago By Stephen Andrew Galiher

New Music Friday: 5 Songs You Need to Hear This Week (3/27)

By Stephen Andrew Galiher

(Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC via Getty Images) The On-Stage Moment a Comedian Found out He Was Being Sued $27 Million for His R-Rated Translation of a ‘Lion King’ Song 2 hours ago By Tony Alpsen

The On-Stage Moment a Comedian Found out He Was Being Sued $27 Million for His R-Rated Translation of a ‘Lion King’ Song

Courtesy of Cardi B Cardi B Little Miss Drama Tour 2026: How to Get Tickets 2 hours ago By Nick Stockton

Cardi B Little Miss Drama Tour 2026: How to Get Tickets

Screenshot: Nintendo Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake and New Star Fox Game Leaked for Switch 2, Insider Claims 3 hours ago By Brent Koepp

Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake and New Star Fox Game Leaked for Switch 2, Insider Claims

Photo: Des Willie/Redferns/Getty Images The Strange and Violent Way Liam Gallagher Became a Singer: ‘I Started Hearing Music’ 3 hours ago By Stephen Andrew Galiher

The Strange and Violent Way Liam Gallagher Became a Singer: ‘I Started Hearing Music’

By Stephen Andrew Galiher

Kill the ads for just $2 a month

VICE membership also gives you access to our very best writing and exclusive new documentaries.

Add your account details

© Vice