Crimson Desert has caught the attention of a notable industry figure: Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, the director behind The Witcher 3. Both titles are expansive single-player fantasy adventures, often drawing comparisons for their vast open worlds, though The Witcher 3 places a stronger emphasis on narrative, character development, and classic RPG mechanics.
In a conversation with The Game Business, Tomaszkiewicz highlighted Crimson Desert and Sandfall Interactive's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as standout examples of innovation in gaming. He expressed concern over the industry's tendency to prioritize profit over creativity, stating, "The problem sometimes is that people starting companies focus too much on how to make money. That's a cold approach to games—you can't create art that way."
After departing from CD Projekt to establish his own studio, Rebel Wolves (developers of The Blood of Dawnwalker), Tomaszkiewicz noted that both Crimson Desert and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 evoke the spirit of the 1990s, a time when "every game was some unknown." He emphasized the importance of injecting "risky elements" into AAA RPGs to avoid repetition, a philosophy central to Rebel Wolves' mission.
"I believe this mindset is gaining traction today," he remarked. "When you look at Clair Obscur or Crimson Desert, these games are distinct. They're not clones of other AAA titles; they offer something genuinely fresh. It reminds me of playing on my 286 PC or Atari, where each game felt unique and mysterious. We aim to deliver that same experience to players."
Both games have achieved significant success: Crimson Desert has sold 4 million copies to date, while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has surpassed 5 million sales and secured numerous 2025 Game of the Year awards. Tomaszkiewicz hopes to replicate this achievement with The Blood of Dawnwalker, another single-player open-world fantasy adventure.
For more on Crimson Desert, explore our coverage, including features on its standout NPCs, a restored hidden food consequence system by a modder, and an impressive character creator mod. Check out our guides on Things to Do First in Crimson Desert, 28 Things Crimson Desert Doesn't Tell You (and counting!), the Best Early Weapons to acquire, the Best Skills to Get First (with a breakdown of the skills system), and 34 Essential Tips and Tricks for conquering Pywel.
