Crimson Desert has a new patch” would be the least shocking news of the week, especially since that’s more or less been the case for almost five months straight. Think about all the monthly and then quarterly updates that No Man’s Sky, The Division (1 and 2), Destiny 2, and so on received. That a single-player-only title – no co-op or online play whatsoever – has seen massive revamps almost weekly since its successful launch is practically unheard of, and it’s garnered extensive appreciation.
However, this time it’s different…or rather, it’s a continuation of a more common trend. Last week saw a massive update that overhauled trading – 133 new trade posts, buffs to overall profit, trade routes on the map and mini-maps, dedicated tabs for viewing in-demand items from the map itself, new goods, the list goes on. But the most recent patch 1.17 includes bug fixes.
What kinds? Well, an issue that caused special headgear effects to not activate in certain situations. Another issue resulted in an unintended item – including ingredients – being slotted whenever all the assigned food was used up (which players frequently demanded a fix for). The challenge “Desperate Rescue”, which required healing incapacitated companions or allies three times, wasn’t being counted properly, and now works.
Of course, other issues seemingly remain, including those that were apparently fixed, such as animation stutters when players moved. That’s not getting into graphics and performance issues, especially on base PS5, which hasn’t been the best. Regardless, it’s good to see the aforementioned bug addressed sooner rather than later.
However, a sentiment that’s been building among some players, especially after patch 1.15, which also offered little more than bug fixes and improvements, is the lack of content. Or that this is just a hotfix and feels more like patch 1.16.5 rather than something significant. Why .5, you ask? Because the developer has already released four hotfixes following last week’s massive update.
Some fixed only a single issue – others addressed a handful. The point is: Work on improvements isn’t mutually exclusive from any overhauls or new content. Furthermore, any overhauls, new armor sets, pets, mounts, trading goods, new abilities, etc., would have been in the works longer than you’d think.
This isn’t anything new in the games industry, and to add to that, fixes and content aren’t necessarily packaged together on the assigned day that patches often go live. And the bigger a game is, the more likely that changing something without properly testing it can cause 15 other things to break or not function as intended. Lest we forget, Crimson Desert is one of the biggest games ever made with a wide array of systems and potential ways for them to go wrong. Some can be fixed faster than others – it’s just the name of the game.
However, it seems the naming convention has set higher expectations among some players. “When co-op?” one asks. “Where are the story changes?” says another, even though PR and marketing director Will Powers has already said that the developer isn’t throwing away the current narrative. Instead, the team is focused on story continuity, clarifying certain elements, and improving the onboarding and cutscenes. How much work goes into all that? We don’t know, but if it’s re-recording lines or even creating new conversations, that will take more work than you’d think, especially across a nearly 70-hour campaign (never mind any potential related quests and post-game).
I’m not saying players shouldn’t ask these questions – at some point, I would assume that some of them have finally left Hernand and are waiting to experience a better story. For everyone else, it may be time to admit that Crimson Desert is already in a very good state.
Does that mean it’s earned a place among the legends of the industry? Will its quests rival Red Dead Redemption 2 or The Witcher 3? Can it build variety to compete with the best? Well, no, but that’s the point – it’s the best it’s going to be as far as its core is concerned.
Keep in mind that all of the new features, content and overhauls have been free, that too in a game without microtransactions (which even I thought wouldn’t last beyond launch). Should there have been increased storage out of the gate? Absolutely. Stamina and combat improvements? Less frustrating boss fights? More abilities for Damiane and Oongka, much less giving them the ability to use Blackstar? The mounts actually showcased in trailers leading up to launch becoming permanently available at all times? Yes to all.
But everything else on top of that has been gravy, including the numerous new pets, the ability to hatch and raise a wyvern, a camp pond, dozens of new armor sets, boss rematches (both scaled and unscaled), difficulty options (including a Hard mode that’s even tougher than the original difficulty), re-blockades, and much more. Anyone expecting the developer to go through and completely overhaul how quests work or, as a more extreme example, somehow consolidate the entire Axiom Archive into the plot is setting their expectations pretty high.
Granted, there’s nothing wrong with asking for fixes to existing technical issues and bugs, but just because the team has already added so much doesn’t mean it’s obligated to include everything the community wants. Just the fact that it supported Crimson Desert on such a frequent basis for so long, that too beyond its “main” patches, is already something extraordinary.
Which isn’t to say that it can’t or doesn’t want to do even greater things – there is DLC in the works after all, which promises to be completely different from the updates. For all we know, it could be the equivalent of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, adding new activities exclusive to its region but also offering much more complex quests with different decisions. Perhaps build-crafting will take off in unexpected ways. Go ahead – have your sky-high expectations, but also recognize that it’s not the end of the world if they’re not incorporated.
At its core, regardless of how much you enjoy or despise Crimson Desert, it simply is what it is. As much as the developer wants to listen to feedback and incorporate it as much as possible, there are limits based on the company backing it. Not to be overtly cynical, but one reason why it sought extensive post-launch support is to increase the number of copies sold. Of course, both things can be true: it’s thankful and wants to cater to the millions who already bought the game, while also wanting to improve the experience and make it more appealing to newcomers.
Is it more attractive to see a patch that adds 15 incredible new things rather than, say, cross-save? Sure. However, at this point, how many more big changes can really be made? How many more armor sets, abilities, pets, mounts, weapons, and features can be added to what’s already a massive experience? Will it really be any less fun because it doesn’t have co-op? Does it need more mechs or Megazords to be even better (not that I’d be opposed to either, mind you)?
For now, it’s best to get used to the current patch trend and appreciate the game for what it really is. The developer undoubtedly has enough on its plate for the future – which may include even more DLC, for all we know. But if it decided to wind down the free content updates after the story patch, and focus on the future, it wouldn’t change the appeal of Crimson Desert one bit. And that’s perfectly fine – all adventures have to come to an end someday; otherwise they wouldn’t feel anywhere as memorable.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
