Crimson Desert will be released on March 19, 2026, and the hype has reached the readers of MeinMMO. Curiosity is high, but it is tempered by caution. We want to know from you what the ambitious open-world game really needs to deliver to convince you.
It won’t be long before Crimson Desert from Pearl Abyss releases, and the hype continues to grow along with the anticipation of curious players. This sentiment is also evident in our community at MeinMMO, which is why we asked if you would want to play Crimson Desert straight from the release. And 2,651 readers shared their opinions with us:
The survey showed a clear interest in Crimson Desert: Overall, 81% of you want to be present right at launch or at least consider diving into the game yourself.
However, the results also reveal a certain skepticism, which we want to explore further.
The survey results show a clear trend
Based on the survey results, we can draw the following conclusions:
- 81% of you (2,157 votes) are interested in Crimson Desert, 28% (767 votes) will be there on release day, and 18% (489 votes) have even pre-ordered it for the timely start.
- 19% (494) have no interest in Crimson Desert and do not want to play it. However, that is almost the same number as the pre-orders among our readers.
- Among all the interested parties (the aforementioned 2,157 votes ready to give the game a chance), almost 2 thirds are skeptical (64%). You want to wait and see what reactions emerge after the test embargoes and the first player experiences at launch.
The hype is big, but you are still skeptical – this is your opinion
The uncertainty of many readers stems from various reasons. While there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Crimson Desert, there are also points that understandably unsettle the community.
This skepticism is also evident in the comments of various Crimson Desert articles, despite the high interest:
- “It’s curious, every new news about the game increases my skepticism instead of doing the opposite just before release,” writes Sveasy regarding the console version.
- “Looks like a mix of ‘Shadow of Mordor’, ‘Black Desert’, and ‘Dynasty Warriors’. I will wait for many, many different reviews first,” comments Harrierdubois also regarding the PS5 gameplay.
- “I’ll hold off for now. I’ve heard a lot about the complicated controls. If that is truly the case, it really puts me off. A clumsy control scheme is a no-go for me,” finds Skaalian in consideration of the physics and the controls in Crimson Desert.
What would need to convince you about Crimson Desert?
We would love to hear from you what your critical “make-or-break” point would be, that crucial feature that would convince you to make a purchase.
Is it a well-developed open world? Diverse combat? Or possibly wild experiences that are promised to you? Feel free to share it with us in the comments, we would be very interested in your opinion!
It won’t be long until Crimson Desert is released on March 19. Until then, you have time to follow new information, or hear the first player reactions starting from the release. If you would like to share your opinion on what aspects need to convince you in Crimson Desert but need a bit more input, we’ve summarized the 4 key features of the game for you: Crimson Desert has about 5,000 features; these 4 determine whether you will have fun
