Pearl Abyss has announced a significant achievement: their highly anticipated game, Crimson Desert, has sold over 5 million copies. This milestone was reached less than a month after its release on March 19th. Since its launch, Crimson Desert has seen its critical reception steadily improve.
On Metacritic, player reviews, which are considered crucial, give the game an impressive 8.8 out of 10. On Steam, 84% of player reviews are positive. Notably, among Spanish-speaking players on Steam, this positive review percentage climbs to 94%.
With 5 Million Copies Sold, Crimson Desert is Already a Top-Tier Commercial Success
Pearl Abyss released a message of gratitude to the community along with the announcement of Crimson Desert surpassing 5 million copies sold worldwide. The remarkable aspect isn’t just the sales figure, but the speed at which it was achieved. Crimson Desert officially launched on March 19, 2026, at 22:00 UTC (March 20 in Korea/Japan), meaning it reached over 5 million sales just 26 days after its global premiere.
According to reports, the game reached 2 million copies sold on its first day. It hit 3 million copies sold by the fourth day and 4 million copies around the 12th day. This indicates sustained commercial traction beyond an initial reservation surge, with more players being drawn to purchase the game each week. Even nearly a month after its release, the game continues to attract over 200,000 simultaneous players every weekend.
For comparison, Sony’s major 2026 release, Marathon, only managed to reach 29,000 simultaneous players last weekend, which is even more concerning considering it’s a multiplayer game. The situation is similar on Metacritic. While specialized press gave it an average of 82 out of 100 (compared to 77 for Crimson Desert), the community has awarded it a much lower 5.8 out of 10. There’s little more to add.
The Game Delivers What Practically No Triple-A Studio Has: A Huge Number of Updates
One of Crimson Desert’s strengths lies with its developer, Pearl Abyss. This company has demonstrated a commitment to doing what many other Western companies have not: listening to the community. The studio not only rapidly released initial patches and even hotfixes to address in-game issues but is also actively incorporating player feedback and implementing requested improvements. These include minor enhancements that significantly improve the overall gaming experience, contributing to the game’s rapid rise in popularity after initial concerns.
On March 21st, just over 36 hours after launch, the studio acknowledged player dissatisfaction with the controls, specifically apologizing for the keyboard and mouse experience. Subsequent patches followed: version 1.01.00 introduced improvements to character and horse movement, graphical fixes, NPC interaction, inventory, and stamina consumption. The most recent update, 1.03.00 on April 11th, added further interface and convenience adjustments, such as mid-action teleportation (while mounted, falling, swimming, or climbing), improved enemy targeting, and new abilities. In less than a month, the game has received 10 updates.
This post-launch effort has significantly altered initial criticisms, especially with new content and skins expected soon. Meanwhile, other top-tier studios have taken months to release patches for serious issues like performance problems. For instance, Borderlands 4 received its performance improvement patch nearly 6 months after its release. Crimson Desert and Pearl Abyss are truly setting a new standard for other supposedly Triple-A studios that, in reality, fail to offer this level of player support.
