Crimson Desert's main campaign is just a small fraction of total game time
Pearl Abyss revealed new details about the scale of Crimson Desert, and the numbers are impressive. Will Powers, the studio's marketing and strategic planning representative, stated that the main story campaign comprises "only a small percentage" of the game's total content. As previously announced, the world of Pywel surpasses the Red Dead Redemption 2 map and is at least twice the size of Skyrim's playable space – clearly, the studio is creating something monumental.
In conversation with Destin Legarie, Powers refused to name a specific completion time, explaining his position.
Respectfully, I dislike this question. I understand why it is asked, but players devour games in different ways. Some barrel through the main campaign immediately, but providing a specific number is difficult. If I give a large number, parents with limited time may feel discouraged or intimidated by the game. Conversely, students with more free time might find the same number too small. Regardless of the figure I provide, it feels like a losing proposition.
However, Powers shared personal experience that clarifies the scale.
Last week, I spent 50 hours playing the game. I sat down and played for 50 hours, focusing primarily on side content. I was not even fishing; I was mining, upgrading weapons, and testing mechanics.
The developer emphasized the game's flexibility – fixed difficulty for all enemies allows players to overcome challenges through persistence and grinding, not just skill.
We never want a player to feel they must simply 'get good' to proceed. If you invest time, you can beat everything. Alternatively, an incredibly skilled player could run right through it.
Powers noted that for open-world games, providing a definitive answer about length is impossible since people rarely follow only the critical path.
For me, the game truly expanded after the credits. I realized I had barely scratched the surface of certain factions and their entire quest lines.
Particularly impressive is that the game features dozens and dozens of factions.
Because I work on the game, I am aware of the available content. Yet even after finishing the story, I realized I had missed entire areas because I was too focused on the main path. There is a vast amount of content to return to, including deep customization options and systems to invest time in. The developers' approach was to create an open world that encourages exploration. Their strength lies in creating emerging, immersive worlds where players can spend thousands of hours.
Learning that Pywel offers extensive content beyond the main story isn't particularly surprising for a game of this scale. However, the fact that the story campaign represents only a "small percentage" of everything is genuinely impressive. Questions remain about unique weapons and equipment, hidden bosses, and world secrets. Also worth considering are two other playable characters besides Kliff with their unique skills and weapons.
Crimson Desert launches March 19th on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series.
