Thousands of Crimson Desert Fans Are Rallying for Permanent Mounts

Crimson Desert players are calling on developer Pearl Abyss to make more of the game’s featured mounts permanent, with frustrations over the system growing online. While Crimson Desert has drawn praise for its visuals and scope, a growing portion of the action-RPG’s player base has taken issue with how mounts function, arguing that the current way the system works doesn’t quite line up with expectations set by trailers and advertisements.

The concern comes as Crimson Desert recently received its first major update aimed at addressing early player feedback. The patch introduced a range of quality-of-life improvements and gameplay tweaks designed to smooth out some of the game’s rougher edges, including lack of personal storage, more fast-travel nexuses, and even adjusting when players gain access to certain abilities. As a result of Peal Abyss’ seemingly attentive response to player feedback, players have started pushing for additional adjustments, with mounts quickly becoming one of the most talked-about topics online.

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Crimson Desert Players Are Upset About How Certain Mounts Work

Crimson Desert players have recently taken to Reddit in order to air their frustrations at how some of the mounts function in the game, with some suggesting that the system is misleading. The issues stem from certain mounts not being permanently tameable, with only horses and the dragon being exceptions. However, even the dragon can’t be used as frequently as some players would like, as it’s on a long cooldown and only lasts for 15 minutes of flight time. Across multiple threads, players point to the limited number of permanent mounts and question why creatures showcased in promotional material, like the dinosaur and bear mounts, are not treated the same as horses.

Who’s That Character?

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Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

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Much of the feedback has centered around ways Pearl Abyss could expand its system rather than replace it completely. Players have suggested allowing mounts to be stored in stables, tying permanent mounts to special quests, or reworking how taming works across creature types. There is a clear sense that the foundation is there, but it needs some tweaks in order to meet player expectations. Players are particularly frustrated by an ad that declares: “Finally, a game for the mount enthusiasts,” when the game features seemingly arbitrary restrictions on how players can actually interact with rideable creatures. Despite player complaints, Crimson Desert has undoubtedly been a sales success.

Part of player frustrations appears tied to how mounts were presented before and during the game’s launch. Trailers and gameplay showcases emphasized the ability to ride a wide range of creatures, with no mention of the mounts not being permanent or having a cooldown. Some players argue about the necessity of a cooldown for a single-player offline game. Crimson Desert began development as an MMO before shifting to a single-player experience. It’s possible that some of the MMO design philosophy was carried over into the final product, such as the limits on player power in the mount system.

Players have lauded Crimson Desert’s expansive and immersive world, but have complained about lackluster quest design, story telling, and other gameplay features. The developer also caught some recent flak for leaving generative AI assets in the final game. But so far, Pearl Abyss has responded to player issues, adding quality-of-life improvements just days after release, including increasing the amount of health provided by food items and reducing the amount of time it takes to learn knowledge.

It’s seemingly a catch-22 situation for Pearl Abyss. The more they respond to player feedback, the more calls for changes there will be, regardless of the changes are actually necessary or not. Player feedback has continued to build around the mount system, but Crimson Desert reviews now sit at Mostly Positive on Steam. With mounts playing such a key role in traversal, it remains to be seen whether Pearl Abyss will make further adjustments in response.