Crimson Desert is one of the biggest RPGs of 2026, and the game is developed and published by Pearl Abyss, a well-known name in the gaming space, but for a different genre. Pearl Abyss is famous for its MMO called Black Desert Online, which continues to have a healthy player base. With their new game set to release soon, gamers have been asking whether Crimson Desert is connected to Black Desert. Here is a quick guide answering the Crimson Desert and Black Desert Online relation.
No, Crimson Desert is not related to Black Desert Online. In the early days of development, Crimson Desert was planned as a prequel to Black Desert Online. However, as Pearl Abyss continued to develop the new game, they decided to completely separate both the game’s worlds, making Crimson Desert a standalone IP. Although both names share ‘Desert,’ and there may be references to BDO in Crimson Desert, like certain Crimson Desert weapons can be the same, still, both games are completely unrelated.
Should I Play Black Desert Online Before Crimson Desert?
No, you don’t need to play Black Desert Online before Crimson Desert, as both games are completely unrelated and don’t share the same story or world. Crimson Desert follows the story of Kliff Mcduff in the continent of Pywel, while BDO is focused on a conflict between two rival nations, the Republic of Calpheon and the Kingdom of Valencia.
BDO’s story is often told in a fragmented way, and it doesn’t follow a dedicated protagonist like Kliff Mcduff. Crimson Desert is a narrative-driven story where you cannot create your own character, which is very different from Black Desert Online.
Crimson Desert vs Black Desert Online
Other than both games being separate IPs and set in different universes, there are a ton of gameplay differences as well as some similarities. First of all, Black Desert Online is a massively multiplayer online game, or MMO, while Crimson Desert is a strictly single-player open-world RPG with no multiplayer features.
| Genre | Single-player open-world RPG | MMO |
| In-game payment | No microtransactions | Pay-to-win microtransactions |
| Customization | No character creation | Character creation is available |
| Progression | Exploration-based progress | Classic XP-based leveling |
| Playable Status | Can be played offline | Must be online to play it |
When it comes to similarities, both games share a good action combat system. However, Crimson Desert’s combat is less flashy compared to Black Desert Online, which follows the traditional Korean MMO style of flashy combat. Finally, Crimson Desert has no in-game microtransactions, while Black Desert Online is the complete opposite and is often referred to as P2W.
BDO is infamous for having many features that give direct enhancements to characters, allowing accounts to progress faster.
So, that’s it. Now you know the relation between Crimson Desert and Black Desert Online and whether they are connected or not. Have more questions? Ask us in the comments below.
