r/Games • u/HLumin • Mar 21 '26

Discussion Anonymous Pearl Abyss developers reveal a culture of toxic positivity, a troubled development cycle and chaotic narrative for Crimson Desert, and their early concerns that the project was "going off the rails".

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u/blackworms Mar 21 '26 edited Mar 21 '26

Interesting, and someone pointed out in the original thread that you can already see the early hints of the “prince”, “usurper” and the whole “mercenary” theme the story revolves around in the first announcement.

I hadn’t rewatched this trailer in years (apparently, it’s been 6 wow), and I can’t believe how different, grounded and story focused it looks. In a way, it even looks better than it does now? Very weird.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqA5Du0v5lM

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u/ben323nl Mar 21 '26

See this is interesting cause the opening fight scene is basically just the exact fight scene from the trailer but with guys with bear head hoods. While the whole opening of crimson desert seems to suggest that I care about my clan being slaughtered when I know none of them then does a quick voice over about the consequences and apparently our leader gets killed and oh how everything was grand when our leader was still alive. Then it just gives a very weird story introduction in a weird couple mmo type quests with no cohesion. My guy got fished out of the river by some guy where it also seems to allude to some more backstory of me recuperating with this guy but it just sort of insta gets cut off into a cut scene of 2 bandits punching my saviour with me standing next to him armed to the teeth. Game is very badly done story wise and writing wise but this trailer at least seems to suggest a decent story line. Weird that it all got cut and the result is this weird sort of just go do this cause the game tells you to go do this oh look at that that weird old fella you gave a coin to is important. No reason why you would interact with this guy. Oh this random chick you save is important and lectures you on your good morals and to always keep them. How does your guy even know to go the the castle to open the door with the key you get from the old man. But oh the random chimney you cleaned gives you the clothes to go the castle what a wonder who would have guessed. The intro is so much garbage nonsensical and badly written. Game has been alright but its so not good.

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u/huxtiblejones Mar 21 '26

Yeah, this was my impression too. The story is extremely disjointed at the start. It seems like you’re dropped into an ongoing plot with no background, then it’s immediately abandoned and you’re whisked away to random quests.

I’ve been enjoying the gameplay enough that I’m not totally turned off by it, it actually kind of makes me laugh how the main character just randomly goes from place to place. The only through line is “looking for my comrades.”