It appears that open-world games that are potentially hundreds of hours long need a bit of time to really flesh out after all.
Pearl Abyss announced last night that Crimson Desert has passed four million copies sold in less than two weeks. That’s a fantastic accomplishment, and from all accounts, it’s well deserved. I haven’t played the game myself, but sentiment has changed a lot in just a couple of weeks, and it’s been fascinating to see from the outside looking in.
The conversation around Crimson Desert has done almost a full 180 since the review scores began dropping a few days prior to launch. The game’s reviews were spotty, mixed across the board, with some scoring it perfectly while other outlets gave it some very negative ratings (you can read Destructoid’s review here). Pearl Abyss’s stock actually dipped because of it, before quickly rising after sales numbers came in.
The change in temperature about Crimson Desert has been due in large part to word of mouth from players who dived into the game and saw that it only got better with time. The game is massive and is a large time investment, which isn’t for everybody. But for those who let the game get its claws into them, the love is real, as evidenced by user scores and reviews across multiple platforms.
But also, a lot of the credit must be given to Pearl Abyss. Crimson Desert had some glaring flaws at launch, and a number of rapid-fire updates have fixed a lot of those issues, most notably issues with controls, performance, new fast travel points, and a lot more. The game also had a controversy surrounding AI-generated art that Pearl Abyss said was left in the game accidentally, but those have already been replaced. Several issues noted by reviewers have since been fixed or tweaked, and in such a quick period of time that it feels almost unmanageable.
Crimson Desert’s quick updates must be commended, but I also hope that there’s not too much crunch happening at the studio to make them happen. Either way, four million copies for this game make it one of the most successful titles of the year, and will probably remain so throughout 2026, especially as even more copies are sold as players continue to talk about their experience.
People are building armies of cats. There are jetpacks, dragons and mech suits. The combat gets better as you level up and unlock abilities. There’s a lot to dig into (more than I personally can manage, which is why I’ve steered clear), but in just a few short weeks, players have found that there’s a ton of fun to be had if you wish to find it. And most of the fun is now more accessible thanks to timely and important updates.
And for that, we now have one of 2026’s feel-good stories in gaming so far. Hopefully, it should be a lesson to the industry that a rocky start does not mean much if developers are given the tools and grace needed to bring a vision to life.
