Crimson Desert will not sell extras or offer a difficulty slider

The marketing director for Crimson Desert said the purchase is the only payment: no microtransactions, no battle pass and no hidden charges. For the studio behind Black Desert, that is a break from a service model.

He also rejected the soulslike label. Fights are meant as showy combos in which the player sets the pace, not only as reactions to enemy attacks. There is no difficulty switch, one balance curve for everyone.

Enemies do not scale to the player. If a boss blocks progress, the studio’s answer is preparation rather than a slider: crafting, food and camp buffs. He added that a fight can be made manageable this way, and that the game is still not easy.