Pearl Abyss has assured players that its upcoming open-world RPG Crimson Desert will launch without any microtransactions or in-game cash shop. The developer emphasized a premium experience for the $70 purchase price. This stance contrasts with the monetization model of their MMO Black Desert Online.
Pearl Abyss, known for the MMO Black Desert Online, has clarified the monetization approach for its single-player open-world game Crimson Desert. In an interview on the Dropped Frames podcast, PR and Marketing Director Will Powers stated that the game will not feature a cosmetic cash shop or any microtransactions at launch. "This is a premium game you buy one time," Powers said. "I don’t wanna say there’s zero MTX, because there are pre-order bonuses that we have, but anything that’s announced and that’s coming at launch is strictly cosmetic."
Powers reiterated, "No. I can say that definitively. There is not a cosmetic cash shop. This is made to be a premium experience that you buy, and you enjoy the world, and not something for microtransactions… This is a premium experience. That’s the transaction. Full stop." This refers to the game's $70 standard price, differing from Black Desert Online's $10 buy-to-play model combined with cosmetic microtransactions and DLC priced $30 to $50.
The announcement addresses concerns from players familiar with microtransaction-heavy titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Dragon’s Dogma 2. Pre-order options include an $80 Deluxe Edition with items such as the Kairos armor set and Exclaire horse armor, and a $280 Collectors Edition. Powers noted on X/Twitter that pre-order bonuses do not involve holding back content for separate sales.
Crimson Desert, which has over two million wishlists as of February 1, is set for release on March 19, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Mac. While future non-cosmetic DLC remains possible, the launch focuses on a complete experience without additional purchases.