Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Crimson Desert DLC debuts to positive Steam reviews, but it hasn’t done much for PC player count
Crimson Desert’s new Charting the Unknown expansion has received a mostly positive early response on Steam, with players welcoming Pearl Abyss’s continued additions to its open world. The reception has not yet brought a substantial rise in the game’s PC player count, so its weekend numbers may give a clearer picture of the expansion’s impact.
After roughly 12 hours, the DLC had 250 Steam reviews and the game’s 24-hour concurrent-player peak was 16,955, its third-lowest week since launch. Some players reported a game-breaking bug in the first quest. Phantom Blade Zero may also be drawing action-game fans: it reached a peak of 723,876 concurrent Steam players, while Crimson Desert’s all-time peak is 276,261.
In short
- The DLC earned mostly positive reviews from its first 250 Steam reviewers.
- Crimson Desert peaked at 16,955 concurrent players in the past 24 hours.
- Phantom Blade Zero may be competing for players’ attention.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The early positive reviews suggest the expansion is giving existing players worthwhile new content and show Pearl Abyss continuing to support the open world. A modest player-count response after 12 hours may not capture its eventual reach; weekend activity could offer a clearer measure.
The case against
The low concurrent-player peak suggests the expansion has not yet persuaded many lapsed or new players to return, limiting its apparent impact so far. Early reviews are a small sample, and reports of a game-breaking quest bug could undermine enthusiasm; competition from other action games may also draw players away.
Explained simply
Crimson Desert is an open-world action game made by South Korean studio Pearl Abyss. Players explore a large fantasy setting, take on quests and fight enemies; downloadable expansions add new content to the game after release.
Steam is a major PC games platform, and its player figures count how many people are playing at the same time. Reviews and player numbers offer different signs of how an update is being received, while bugs can affect players’ experience. Other action games may compete for the same audience.