Developer Pearl Abyss announced that it will respond to the significant backlash concerning the controls in Crimson Desert with an upcoming patch.
In a statement issued online, Pearl Abyss acknowledged the “discomfort” players have been facing with the controls and confirmed that a patch is being prepared to improve this aspect. However, the developer did not specify a release date or provide details about improvements, although players are particularly hoping for better controller mapping and key binding options. In addition, Pearl Abyss expressed remorse to keyboard and mouse users regarding their gameplay experience, especially since the game suggests using a controller due to the controls’ complexity.
As reported by IGN, Crimson Desert saw a successful launch on Steam with nearly 250,000 concurrent players but has earned a “mixed” rating from users on Valve’s platform. Much of the player feedback has centered on the controls, which many describe as clunky and overly complicated. Performance issues have also been noted, including a collaborative effort among PS5 players trying to resolve blurry visuals, a problem that also affects the PC edition.
Despite these issues, Crimson Desert achieved remarkable sales, moving 2 million copies within the first day and remaining one of the top titles on Steam. It’s important to note that player numbers are not publicly disclosed by Sony or Microsoft.
Pearl Abyss has yet to respond to allegations that Crimson Desert uses AI-generated art. If verified, this could breach Steam’s AI Content Policy, which mandates that any use of generative AI must be disclosed on the game’s store page, a disclaimer currently absent.
Here’s a portion of Pearl Abyss’ full statement: “Fellow Greymanes, it has been over 36 hours since launch, and we would like to thank everyone playing Crimson Desert. We are listening to your feedback, particularly regarding the discomfort many are feeling with the controls, and a patch is being prepared. We also apologize to the keyboard and mouse users for their experience and are taking your feedback seriously to enhance gameplay as swiftly as we can.”
Pearl Abyss aims to address the primary concerns with Crimson Desert promptly to improve its review ratings on Steam. Recently, IGN reported on the significant drop in the company’s stock price, which fell nearly 30% following reviews from critics and dropped an additional 9.78% the next day. Development on the game reportedly spanned seven years at a cost of approximately 200 billion won (around $133 million).
