Crimson Desert's low story completion rates: what does this mean for players?

In short

• Only 9.7% of Steam players have completed Crimson Desert's story.
• The average time to finish the main story is around 69 hours.
• Despite the low completion rates, thousands of players have put more than 200 hours into the game.

Analysis by GAME-scanner

Crimson Desert, released on March 14, 2026, is showing remarkably low story completion rates. On Steam, only 9.7% of players have finished the story, while that figure stands at 13% on Xbox and 15.2% on PlayStation. These numbers suggest that the story's accessibility and appeal may be falling short. The average 69-hour time needed to complete the main story could be putting off casual players in particular, who may not be willing to invest that much time in a single game.

The low completion rates may point to a lack of engagement with the story or a difficulty curve that is too steep. For players looking for an immersive experience, that can be discouraging. It's also possible that the open world and side quests are distracting players from the main story, leading to lower completion rates. This could prompt developer Pearl Abyss to reconsider its approach to storytelling and gameplay structure in future updates or DLC. The median percentage of players who earned the 'Expert Storyteller' badge is just 12.6%, further underlining concerns about engagement.

What does this mean for players?

The low completion rates may discourage players, especially those who value finishing the story. That could lead to lower overall satisfaction with the game. Players who have already sunk more than 200 hours into the game may feel frustrated if they feel they haven't fully experienced the story. It could also affect the community and the conversations around the game, with players potentially focusing more on side quests and exploration than on the core story experience.