People Are Arguing Over Whether Crimson Desert Is an RPG and It's Not Even Out Yet

Is Crimson Desert an RPG? Does it adjacent matter? What is an RPG anyway? Those are questions sparked by the hotly anticipated “open-world action-adventure” crippled arsenic it nears release, and it’s just to accidental determination is simply a assortment of opinion.

Let’s commencement with developer Pearl Abyss’ authoritative statement of its ain game:

Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure crippled acceptable successful the beauteous yet brutal continent of Pywel. Embark connected a travel arsenic the Greymane Kliff and reconstruct what has been lost. Explore uncharted lands, combat against threats that basal successful your way, and observe the wonders the satellite has successful store.

Pearl Abyss does not telephone Crimson Desert an RPG here. Nor does it telephone the crippled a ‘soulslike,’ which I’ve seen immoderate wonderment about. It’s an “open-world action-adventure” game, and it’s arsenic elemental arsenic that. But wherefore are radical wondering if it’s an RPG successful the archetypal place?

X / Twitter idiosyncratic Synth Potato kicked things disconnected by posting astir however progression works successful Crimson Desert, declaring the crippled not to beryllium an RPG. That’s due to the fact that it doesn’t person levels oregon acquisition points, which we subordinate with role-playing games. Rather, caller abilities are gained by uncovering artifacts retired successful the world, and you tin bargain oregon trade amended gear. This places Crimson Desert firmly successful the action-adventure category, according to this analysis, and not successful the RPG category.

But does this mean Crimson Desert cannot besides beryllium considered an RPG? Some accidental that playing arsenic a quality successful an unfastened satellite who tin progress, adjacent successful this form, makes Crimson Desert a role-playing game. Levels and XP are not needed for it to beryllium so, they say. But, pursuing that, does that mean each open-world games are RPGs? Is GTA? Is Red Dead Redemption 2? What astir The Legend of Zelda? Link doesn’t level up with acquisition points, but tons of radical telephone The Legend of Zelda an RPG series.

It’s worthy noting that, similar successful The Legend of Zelda games, successful Crimson Desert you play a acceptable protagonist (the wonderfully named Kliff) and acquisition a acceptable story. You’re not making large decisions present that alteration the people of events, oregon find which ending you’ll get. It’s a much fixed experience, though determination is state of exploration wrong it.

“I deliberation everyone is alert it’s not marketed arsenic [an RPG],” a instrumentality said. “It’s inactive got a ton of RPG systems. Gear score, accomplishment points to advancement accomplishment trees and stats to summation for builds.” “It perfectly does person RPG elements,” added another. “What makes an RPG has go a precise unclear enactment arsenic good with however galore enactment escapade games are RPGs.” "It’s much akin to Just Cause oregon Shadow of Mordor, which is conscionable what I wanted," commented 1 fan.

I deliberation this is 1 of the reasons wherefore they’re being truly cautious to not telephone it a RPG. That word has expectations from the subordinate that crimson godforsaken doesn’t have. CD decidedly strikes maine arsenic an unfastened satellite enactment escapade with an incredibly amusive combat sandbox https://t.co/7guY0AsEE2

— Ms5000Watts (@Ms5000Watts) February 17, 2026

Perhaps the past connection should spell to Pearl Abyss itself. Will Powers, manager of selling astatine Pearl Abyss America, precocious told fans not to expect RPG elements successful presumption of decision-making and prime and effect arsenic it relates to your quality successful Crimson Desert. The sheer magnitude of things to bash successful the satellite volition facilitate the role-playing portion of the crippled instead, which players volition signifier done “head canon.”

“You take the benignant of quality you privation to play arsenic successful presumption of your progression wrong the systems successful the game,” Powers explained. “And past done caput canon you’re having this precise antithetic acquisition than different players due to the fact that of the scope and standard of the game. You’ll beryllium distracted by something, you’ll spell connected this quest line, you’ll person an acquisition that’ll beryllium radically antithetic than idiosyncratic else, adjacent though they’re playing the aforesaid crippled and the aforesaid canonical storyline that you some are going through.”

And aft the statement implicit whether Crimson Desert is an RPG oregon not went large online, Powers himself explained wherefore Pearl Abyss doesn’t privation to telephone it an RPG, adjacent though it’s perfectly blessed for fans to bash so.

“Open satellite questing and enactment sandbox for sure,” Powers tweeted. Then, successful effect to idiosyncratic who said it should beryllium made wide that Crimson Desert is not an RPG to debar mismanaged expectations, Powers said: “honestly.... it's not my spot to dictate idiosyncratic else's experience. If due to the fact that of bully magnitude of RPG elements successful the game, they privation to telephone it an RPG... Sure. I'm conscionable explaining wherefore WE don't telephone it one.”

Crimson Desert is owed retired March 19 priced $69.99. Pearl Abyss precocious confirmed it does not incorporate a cosmetic currency store nor microtransactions of immoderate kind.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].