Since its launch last week, Pearl Abyss's expansive open-world action adventure 'Crimson Desert' has faced criticism regarding its narrative. While some players enjoy treating it as a sandbox experience, many agree that the plot, storyline, and characters fall short of expectations.
Pearl Abyss CEO Heo Jin-young has now expressed agreement with these concerns. During a Q&A session following the company's regular general shareholders' meeting on March 27 at their Gwacheon headquarters, Heo addressed shareholder criticism about the game's lackluster storyline.
"I sympathize to some extent with the disappointment users feel regarding the story," Heo told Yonhap News Agency. "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."
Discussion around 'Crimson Desert's' story often centers on protagonist Kliff, who has been described as having "all the personality of an empty vase" in IGN's review.
Heo's comments suggest Pearl Abyss was aware the story wasn't up to par with other aspects of the game but lacked time for meaningful improvements. Despite this, 'Crimson Desert' has sold 3 million copies in under a week and is projected to reach 5 million sales, potentially solidifying its status as a hit. The game reportedly took seven years to develop at a cost of 200 billion won (approximately $133 million).
While downloadable content might be expected, Heo stated no decisions have been made yet, with current focus on improving the base game through patches.
"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," he explained. "I want to make strategic decisions that ensure the base game of 'Crimson Desert' sells well."
Regarding the game's high difficulty creating an entry barrier for new players, Heo responded: "I understand that user convenience is being prioritized. Various streamers and influencers will be active to solidify the community and bridge the entry barrier for new users."
On other topics, Heo revealed there are "no concrete plans" for official mod support because it "would require opening up a large part of the engine." However, Pearl Abyss has shown interest in a Nintendo Switch 2 version, despite technical challenges.
"Since the Switch still has lower specifications compared to other console devices, there are parts we have to give up on, but internally we have taken an interest and started research and development," Heo said.
He acknowledged the active mod community and sandbox structure could make mod support beneficial but reiterated the technical hurdles. Additionally, Pearl Abyss attempted to implement multiplayer but found it too difficult due to performance impacts on graphics.
While players await the next patch, the 'Crimson Desert' community continues to create unique experiences, including players building cat armies and memorializing real-life pets who have passed away.
