Developer Pearl Abyss has recently spoke on some of the challenges of bringing multiplayer in their open world title Crimson Desert which would require major sacrifices in the game’s overall visual fidelity. According to South Korean outlet Yonhap News, the studio has discussed adding multiplayer components in Crimson Desert and has stated that the team had previously “attempted to implement multiplayer internally, but there are clearly aspects of graphics that must be sacrificed in the current device environment”.
One of the main highlights of Crimson Desert is it’s highly detailed and sprawling open world which provides nearly endless degree of exploration and combat and so adding multiplayer as some form of post-release content can definitely require certain adjustments that may not sit well with the kind of experience the game is going for. Also, the visual realism is a major selling point of the game as it works spectacularly as a showcase for your graphics card and anything that can result in a necessary downgrade for the sumptuous visuals wouldn’t be favorable for obvious reasons.
The devs have also stated that they’re looking to build a Switch 2 version of Crimson Desert but due to the handheld’s obvious “specification limitations”, the game would have to “compromise on some graphic quality.” The CEO of Pearl Abyss has also stated that they “cannot make definitive statements regarding feasibility or timing at this stage, we are paying close attention and preparing for it,” so they’re inclined to keep the possibilities open, for now at least.
Moreover, he has assured that the studio has “reaffirmed that continuous platform expansion, including mobile, is our mid-to-long-term strategy,” which means Crimson Desert is likely to come out on other platforms at some point in the future.
Crimson Desert has sold over 3 million copies since release and is steadily shaping up to be one of the big hits of this year.
