New Crimson Desert Announcement Proves It Should Succeed Where Other Open-World Games Failed

February 16, 2026, 4:16pm

Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss has just raised expectations for its upcoming open-world game even further following a new announcement. As far as games in the first half of 2026 go, Crimson Desert is shaping up to be one of the most promising. Its sprawling open-world and fast-paced combat look to be truly unique, which means that it could offer a very fresh experience for players. And while anticipation is already building for Crimson Desert more and more with each passing week, a new statement has now ruled out one lingering concern about the title.

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Speaking on the Dropped Frames podcast, Will Powers, the PR and Marketing Director at Pearl Abyss, confirmed that there will be no microtransactions of any sort in Crimson Desert. Powers explained that the only cost associated with the game will be the one that players pay up front to get access to it. This will make Crimson Desert a “premium experience” according to Powers, and continues to show that the game will be quite different from many other open-world titles in recent years.

“I can say that definitively, there is not a cosmetic cash shop,” said Powers. “This is made to be a premium experience that you buy and you enjoy the world, and not something for microtransactions. It’s a monetization model. If you do free-to-play, then you need to make up the revenue in a different way. This is a premium experience. That is the transaction. Full stop.”

Crimson Desert Seems to Know What Players Want

To hear that Crimson Desert won’t feature any microtransactions whatsoever isn’t just a relief, but it proves that Pearl Abyss seems to be well aware of the negativity that has been tied to in-game purchases over the past few years. Recent games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and numerous others have included microtransactions somewhat heavily despite retailing for full price themselves. Even a game like Grand Theft Auto 6, which is eagerly anticipated by millions, will surely have in-game transactions as well once it launches. For Crimson Desert to buck this trend is excellent news, and hopefully is indicative of the high level of quality of the finished product.