Crimson Desert: Reviews, Updates & Difficulty Concerns | IGN, Volkskrant & More

Crimson Desert’s player count on Steam surged to 276,261 on Sunday, following the release of update 1.01.00, according to IGN.

The update, released this morning, addressed a number of issues raised by players since the open world action adventure game launched less than two weeks ago. Key changes included the addition of five summonable mounts – a feature frequently requested by the community – decreased loading times for prompt travel and revival and improvements to the game’s controls. Pearl Abyss, the game’s developer, has rapidly deployed patches to address player feedback.

The influx of players has propelled Crimson Desert to turn into the third most-played game on Steam, trailing only Valve’s Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2. This increase in activity coincides with a shift in Steam user reviews, moving from a ‘mixed’ rating to a ‘very positive’ one.

Pearl Abyss CEO Heo Jin-young recently responded to questions about Crimson Desert during a Q&A session following a shareholders’ meeting. Reports from South Korean media indicate the game has already surpassed 3 million units sold and is on track to reach 5 million.

Despite the positive reception to the recent updates, some players are now suggesting the game is too effortless and are calling for the implementation of a Hard Mode, according to IGN Benelux.

The game has garnered varied reactions from critics. One reviewer for de Volkskrant described Crimson Desert as a “bad, idiotic but as well fantastic game,” whereas xgn.nl praised it as a “grand, enchanting and exhilarating adventure you don’t want to miss.”