Open World Fantasy RPG Promises No Day-One Microtransactions

Pearl Abyss has confirmed that its highly anticipated open-world single-player game Crimson Desert will “definitively” not feature any kind of microtransaction-laden cash shop or in-game storefront at launch. The MMO maker says the single-player game’s $70 price tag reflects the all inclusive “premium experience” players should expect.

The promise comes from an interview with Pearl Abyss’ PR and Marketing Director Will Powers on the Dropped Frames podcast. Powers was asked if the game would feature a similar monetization model to Pearl Abyss’ MMO Black Desert Online. “This is a premium game you buy one time,” replied Powers. “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.”

When asked if there was a chance that Crimson Desert might launch with any sort of “cash shop” feature, Powers doubled down. “No. I can say that definitively,” he continued. “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.”

The “transaction” Powers is referring to in this context is Crimson Desert’s $70 launch price, in contrast to Black Desert Online’s “buy-to-play” model, which consists of a one-off $10 purchase, which can be combined with separate cosmetic microtransactions and one-time DLC purchases that range from $30 to $50. It’s also become more common even for single-player RPGs like Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Dragon’s Dogma 2 to include microtransaction shops full of content that can’t be earned just by playing the game. 

While the need to clarify this may come across as odd to some, it likely stemmed from the announcement of Crimson Desert’s $80 “Deluxe Edition” pre-order option, which features several cosmetic items, such as the Kairos armor set and the Exclaire horse armor. There’s also a $280 “Collectors Edition,” but I’d wager you’re probably not bothered about microtransactions if you’re shelling out for that anyway.

Powers’ wording also doesn’t rule out the possibility of other, non-cosmetic forms of DLC in the future, which wouldn’t come as a surprise considering that, as of February 1st, more than two million people have already wishlisted Crimson Desert.