The MMORPG Black Desert has big plans for 2018: A port to Xbox One is planned, along with a graphics update. But currently, there are other concerns: Parts of the community are annoyed about new items in the cash shop and ongoing issues with lags and bugs. They want to unleash a shitstorm.
Black Desert: Good Times …
If we believe the statements from Pearl Abyss, the developers of Black Desert, then their MMORPG is doing splendidly:
- In North America and Europe, Black Desert is received better than in South Korea. There, weak PCs in internet cafes are hindering success.
- Black Desert was already doing well, with the launch on Steam in May 2017 Black Desert got a boost and became a hit there.
- Now they want to bring Black Desert first to the Xbox One and then to the PS4.
- Furthermore, Pearl Abyss has big plans for the future, wants to support Black Desert with content and enhance its graphics – even more games are in planning.
Currently, the developer admits that revenues in North America and Europe aren’t as robust anymore, but Pearl Abyss thinks: This will stabilize again with the new class Rahn and a series of events.
… Bad Times
So everything is great? No. In the western community of Black Desert, tensions are rising. There are several fundamental issues:
- The game is laggy and does not perform well – disconnect problems have plagued North America for a while.
- There are annoying bugs, and there is a feeling that the western version is being treated unfairly.
- Some see the danger that the game is drifting towards “cash shop” – becoming pay-to-win.
- And the credibility of the developers is repeatedly criticized and questioned.
Boon of Kamasilve Tips the Scale
Currently, the frustration is centered around the item “Boon of Kamasilve.” This item boosts loot, thus impacting progress in the game.
Frustration is fueled by statements from a community manager from February 2016. It was said that the item would not come to the cash shop but would land in the loyalty store. This rewards “loyal players” for their playtime. Items in there can be obtained for free.
However, the item appeared in the Black Desert cash shop on February 14 and is tradable in the auction house. This and the contradiction to earlier statements has led some to lose their temper.
Black Desert Fan Wants to Unleash a Shitstorm, but it’s Only Moderately Successful
A user on reddit has now published a collection of links to alleged wrongdoings inflicted on players in Black Desert. The linked posts are said to contain the evidence.
This post has been sent, according to their own statements, to gaming sites in the hope of unleashing a massive shitstorm and putting pressure on Pearl Abyss. However: The discussion doesn’t really stir up much trouble. Black Desert is probably just too niche for the frustration to reach Star Wars proportions.
Only a few MMO-specialized sites in the USA report on the issues.
Even on reddit, this form of protest only creates moderate waves. More attention is garnered by this poem:
In the comments, many are indeed disappointed about the cash shop and RNG elements that Black Desert has. However, some also see the problems more differentiated and say: Well, the statements are 2 years old – they change eventually.
We have also dealt with the RNG elements in Black Desert:
Are Cats Part of a Sneaky Pay-to-Win Gamble in Black Desert?
