Pearl Abyss is the development studio behind the open-world RPG Crimson Desert. The title has proven to be a huge success for the developers. It is so successful that they even pay bonuses to their employees.
What have the employees received? The game has generated around 200 million US dollars in just two weeks (read on The Alinea Insight newsletter). This is equivalent to about 174 million euros. The Steam rating of the game currently stands at over 100,000 reviews at “very positive”.
Therefore, the developers have likely decided to grant their employees a bonus. According to the financial report from Pearl Abyss, the company’s personnel costs for the second quarter of 2026 rose an impressive 94% compared to the previous quarter.
The reason for this is the success bonuses that were paid to all 1,035 employees of the studio.
Success bonuses come in difficult times
How is the rest of the video game industry faring? The positive news comes at a time when mass layoffs are rampant. Xbox had to conduct the largest wave of layoffs in its 25-year history, affecting numerous studios.
- The studio behind The Elder Scrolls Online has already undergone extensive layoffs for the second time in a short period.
- There are also savings at Blizzard. Projects are being canceled and players will never get to see the games.
- Even EA laid off long-term employees, despite the 48 billion deal with Saudi Arabia now being completed.
Accordingly, such a payout of a bonus to its employees is perhaps the best news we can hear within the industry.
Were there any other exciting things in the financial report? Since Crimson Desert has been so successful, it is not expected to be a one-off project. The studio is considering full sequels, multiplayer expansions, and additional DLCs.
We already know about one DLC. However, not many details about the expansion are known yet. The developers have revealed what we can expect from the additional content: Developers of Crimson Desert explain what to expect from the DLC – looking to align with MMORPGs
Your opinion is important to us!
Do you like the article? Then let us know!