Crimson Desert will be released without microtransactions. The developers have made this explicitly clear. Their game is a “premium experience.”
Crimson Desert is an extremely interesting case. On the one hand, we know a lot about the open world with its magnificent graphics (and steampunk robots?!), but on the other hand, many people are still not really sure what kind of game it will actually be.
It’s not a role-playing game in the classic sense, as the developers have just clarified once again. And now there’s a very clear statement on the next topic that has been on many people’s minds: Will there be an in-game shop in Crimson Desert waiting to empty our wallets?
All content included in the purchase price
In an interview with itmeJP, Marketing Director Will Powers made his position clear: Crimson Desert does not contain any microtransactions, no in-game store, no season or battle pass. The game has a purchase price of €70, and for that you get access to all content.
Since there is no need to finance a free-to-play title, such in-game monetization is not necessary in the case of Crimson Desert, he added.
I can definitely say that there will be no cosmetics shop at launch (…). [Crimson Desert] is intended to be a premium experience that you purchase and then enjoy the world, not something for microtransactions. That’s the transaction, end of story.”
He is referring specifically to the topic of in-game purchases, because Crimson Desert does offer bonuses for people who pay more. For $80, there is also a deluxe version of the game with exclusive cosmetic content. Pre-order customers also receive a special perk.
Whether Powers emphasis on “at launch” means that in-game purchases could still be introduced later, we can only speculate at this point.
That’s not what I said. There are preorder bonuses. I said, at launch no mtx.
— Will Powers 🔜 GDC (@WillJPowers) February 16, 2026
Crimson Desert will be released on March 19, 2026, for PC and current consoles. It follows in the spirit of Black Desert Online, but unlike that game, it is a purely single-player experience, at least at launch. Multiplayer (and add-ons) could follow after launch. We’ll show you exactly how the game works with its numerous complex systems and how it aims to simulate a believable world.
