Crimson Desert Players Slam 'Misleading' Temporary Mount System
Pearl Abyss faces mounting criticism over Crimson Desert's time-gated mount mechanics, with players frustrated that dragons, raptors, and other exotic creatures can only be ridden temporarily despite marketing promises of 'complete and total freedom.'
Despite selling over 2 million copies since launch, Crimson Desert is facing significant backlash over its mount system. Players are expressing frustration after discovering that most non-horse mounts, including the heavily-marketed dragon, are temporary and locked behind cooldown timers, contradicting the game's long-running marketing campaign that emphasized player freedom.
The dragon mount, unlocked in the later chapters, can only be used for 15 minutes at a time before triggering a 50-minute real-time cooldown that cannot be skipped. The restriction extends to other exotic mounts like dire wolves and raptors, which also cannot be permanently summoned or stabled. Steam users have been vocal about feeling misled, with one player writing: "I'm really enjoying the game but are you seriously telling me that the other mounts that the game was advertising are something you tame once and then they just yeet after use? Why put that restriction?"
The controversy has sparked debate about whether balance mechanics typical of MMOs belong in single-player games. One veteran gamer argued: "Who cares? It's a single player game. I could ride dragons, bears and other creatures in both WoW and GW2. I can have a permanent dragon in Shadow of War."
While some players defend the cooldowns as necessary for game balance, others insist that power fantasy should take priority over artificial restrictions in a single-player sandbox experience.Pearl Abyss is currently rolling out patches addressing other player complaints, including heavy controls and inventory limitations. However, the studio has not yet announced plans to revise the controversial mount system, leaving players waiting to see if their feedback will result in meaningful changes to one of the game's most anticipated features.