Pearl Abyss doesn't think of Crimson Desert as an RPG, but it understands why you might

I’m desperate to get my hands on Crimson Desert. The new open-world game is looking absolutely packed, bringing together dynamic, flowing combat that has exhilarated me in multiple previews and a vast land filled with an impressive array of activities and pursuits. But is it an RPG? Developer Pearl Abyss doesn’t think so, and is careful not to call it one, although director of marketing Will Powers acknowledges that there are certainly reasons why you might.

This discussion was raised recently during a special Crimson Desert preview segment on the Dropped Frames podcast, where Powers admitted that the team has yet to determine its approach to PC mod support. Given its history as a companion to MMO Black Desert Online, before it grew into more of its own thing, Powers is asked what genre Pearl Abyss considers Crimson now. “The developers don’t want to call this an RPG,” he responds.

“With the term RPG comes a lot of connotations around a character creator, specifics [like] experience points and leveling systems and stuff like that. Those as players would expect them are absent from this game. However, there are an absolute ton of RPG elements. So I think that’s why genre becomes a really tough thing because everyone has their connotations with it.”

Gaining power in Crimson Desert isn’t about grinding for levels like you would in Elden Ring – it’s a case of finding abyss artifacts, equipment, materials, and blueprints in the world. The former are used by protagonists Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka to unlock nodes on their skill tree. These can drop from enemies, but they can also be found across the map. The remainder are various ways to upgrade your gear, whether by taking it from a powerful foe or crafting it yourself at base.

Powers notes that gear is still “very important” in Crimson Desert, something I could feel even in my brief time with preview builds. Gaining upgrades is typically a case of defeating a boss, finding a unique item in a preset location, or discovering a blueprint you can build. This means that exploration, rather than action, is usually the best way to get stronger. Powers says he considers ‘open-world’ to be Crimson Desert’s primary genre. “This is probably the truest sense of an open-world game I’ve ever played,” he remarks.

While there isn’t a traditional character creator, Crimson Desert is making use of Black Desert Online’s powerhouse toolset to let you customize its three leads, their horses, and the war robot you can pilot. There are also no dialog choices – although Powers emphasizes that your playstyle defines who you are. “There is a set plot, and you choose how you as a character are interacting with the world.

On X, YouTuber and Twitch streamer ‘Ms5000Watts’ speculates that the team is avoiding the term ‘RPG’ because it’s wary of player expectations, noting, “Crimson Desert definitely strikes me as an open-world action adventure with an incredibly fun combat sandbox.” Powers responds, “You get it. Open-world questing and action sandbox for sure.”

When asked why the team isn’t pushing back harder against instances of Crimson Desert being described as such in news, previews, and videos, Powers says, “Honestly, it’s not my place to dictate someone else’s experience. If, because of [the] good amount of RPG elements in the game, they want to call it an RPG… sure. I’m just explaining why we don’t call it one.”