Pearl Abyss has been building hype around Crimson Desert for years, and one of the most common questions from players preparing to dive in is simple: how long does it take to beat Crimson Desert? The short answer — it depends entirely on how you play. But no matter your style, you are looking at a massive time investment. Whether you are chasing the credits or hunting every last trophy, here is a complete breakdown of Crimson Desert’s total playtime.
Crimson Desert Length at a Glance
Before getting into the details, here is a quick summary of how long Crimson Desert takes based on your playstyle:
| Playstyle | Estimated Hours |
|---|---|
| Main Story Only | 60 – 80 hours |
| Main Story + Side Content | 100 hours |
| Full Completionist Run | 150+ hours |
These figures are based on a combination of developer statements, early reviewer playtimes, and post-launch reports from players. The game officially launched with over 400 quests, 76 bosses, and a world that multiple reviewers have compared in scale to titles larger than Red Dead Redemption 2 — so those numbers should come as no surprise.
How Long Is the Crimson Desert Main Story?
If you are keeping your head down and pushing through the main questline, expect to spend around 60 to 80 hourscompleting Crimson Desert’s main story. The campaign spans twelve full chapters set across the vast open world of Pywel, and according to Game8, the game’s boss design actively requires players to build up their characters through progression — meaning some side activity is practically unavoidable even on a focused run.
GameSpot reviewers noted that the range could stretch from 60 to 100 hours depending on how efficiently you navigate the world and whether you invest time into fast travel infrastructure early. One of the first things worth doing in each new region is tagging teleporters, since backtracking on foot or horseback through Pywel’s enormous map will quietly eat hours without you realizing.
PC Gamer’s writer, who logged 75 hours before review, described Crimson Desert as a game built to be savored rather than rushed — and their experience lines up with what most players can realistically expect from a story-focused playthrough.
How Long Does Crimson Desert Take With Side Quests?
Once you start pulling on side content, your playtime will climb toward the 100-hour mark. Crimson Desert has over 400 main and side quests distributed across multiple factions and regions. In the city of Hernand alone, there are separate quest chains for House Celeste, House Roberts, the Goldleaf Merchant Guild, the Scholastone Institute, and several others — each with their own story threads and rewards.
Side activities also include:
- Camp building and upgrades at Greymane Camp in Howling Hill, with vendors, provisions, trading wagons, a farm, and a ranch
- Abyss Artifacts, which are required to upgrade your skills and are largely locked behind quests and tally challenges
- 430 Adventures, which encompass everything from side quests and camp-clearing missions to puzzles and optional boss fights
- 29 mounts to collect and use across Pywel’s terrain
The three playable characters in Crimson Desert — Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka — do not share Abyss Artifacts between them, meaning players who want to build all three characters evenly will find their playtime extended considerably. If you are planning to switch between characters or experiment with different playstyles, factor that extra investment in.
How Long Does a 100% Completionist Run Take?
For players chasing platinum trophies and full completion, Crimson Desert will demand 150 hours or more. This accounts for completing all faction questlines, fully building out the Greymane Camp, unlocking every skill upgrade, finding all collectibles, defeating all 76 bosses, and exploring all 573 territories scattered across the map.
Game8 notes that full completion requires considerable time investment across all available content, particularly because the game is designed so that tackling side content is practically necessary for character progression. You are not just doing side quests for fun — you are doing them because you need the resources.
Given the scale of the world and the density of content in each region, it is realistic to expect that completionist players will log well past 150 hours, especially factoring in the puzzle-heavy labyrinths, caves, and collectible hunts that are spread throughout Pywel.
What Affects Your Total Playtime in Crimson Desert?
Several variables will push your hours up or down noticeably:
Difficulty and combat approach. Boss fights in Crimson Desert can be demanding, and players who find themselves retrying encounters will naturally spend more time on the game than those who come in prepared. Investing time into gear upgrades and skill progression before major fights smooths the experience significantly.
Exploration style. The map is reportedly larger than Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption 2, and early hands-on impressions confirmed that some reviewers spent 50 hours still in the game’s first region. If you are the kind of player who explores every corner before moving on, your playtime will far exceed the averages above.
Fast travel use. Setting up your fast travel network early by tagging teleporters is one of the most practical time-saving decisions you can make. Neglecting this will cost you hours of travel time.
Character building across all three characters. As mentioned, Abyss Artifacts are not shared, so building up each of the playable characters in Crimson Desert separately adds a meaningful chunk of time to your overall investment.
Platform and hardware. If you are wondering about Crimson Desert’s system requirements on PC, your hardware setup can affect load times and overall session length — though it will not change how much content there is to work through.
Is Crimson Desert Worth the Time Investment?
Based on post-launch reception, the answer for most RPG fans is yes. PC Gamer’s reviewer, who logged 75 hours and called it a “slow burn” experience, encouraged players to resist the urge to rush and instead spend time gambling, farming, decorating their camp, and solving the many riddle-laden puzzles scattered across Pywel. The game reportedly rewards patience in a way that blitzing through the story does not capture.
It is also worth noting that Crimson Desert sold over 3 million copies in its first week, suggesting strong player interest that could lead to post-launch DLC and expansions — which would extend the total content even further.
If you are planning to play on PC and want to know whether your setup can handle the game before committing, check out the Crimson Desert system requirements to make sure you are prepared. Players on the go may also want to look into whether Crimson Desert runs on Steam Deck before purchasing. And if you are a subscriber curious about availability, it is worth checking whether Crimson Desert is on Xbox Game Pass before buying a separate copy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to beat Crimson Desert’s main story?
Completing Crimson Desert’s main story takes approximately 60 to 80 hours. This range can stretch toward 100 hours depending on how much side content you engage with along the way, since some character progression through quests is practically required to tackle the campaign’s tougher boss fights.
How many hours does a completionist run of Crimson Desert take?
A full completionist run — covering all faction quests, collectibles, camp upgrades, and character builds — is expected to take 150 hours or more. The three playable characters do not share upgrade materials, which adds significant time for players who want to fully develop all of them.
Does Crimson Desert have multiplayer that could affect playtime?
Crimson Desert is primarily a single-player game. If you want to know more about online features, our guide on Crimson Desert multiplayer covers everything currently confirmed about co-op and online elements.
Is there character creation in Crimson Desert?
Unlike Black Desert Online, Crimson Desert features a fixed protagonist, Kliff, rather than full custom character creation. If you want a detailed explanation of what the game does offer in terms of customization, check out our breakdown of character creation in Crimson Desert.
How many quests are in Crimson Desert?
Crimson Desert has over 400 main and side quests, in addition to 430 Adventures — a broader category that includes camp-clearing missions, puzzles, optional boss fights, and other side distractions spread across Pywel’s many regions and factions.
Is Crimson Desert longer than Elden Ring or The Witcher 3?
At 60 to 80 hours for the main story and 150+ hours for full completion, Crimson Desert sits comfortably alongside — and in many cases exceeds — the playtime of comparable open-world RPGs. Elden Ring’s average main story run clocks in around 50 to 60 hours, while The Witcher 3 with all expansions lands closer to 100 to 170 hours for completionists.
Final Verdict: Plan Your Schedule Accordingly
To directly answer how long it takes to beat Crimson Desert: most players will spend between 60 and 100 hours with the game, with completionists easily pushing past the 150-hour mark. Pearl Abyss has built one of the most content-dense open-world RPGs in recent memory, and the scale of Pywel makes it a game that rewards those who take their time.
If you are heading in for the first time, the best approach is to treat Crimson Desert as a slow-burn experience rather than something to race through. Explore the regions, build up your camp, engage with the faction questlines, and let the world open up at its own pace. The credits will still be there — they will just feel a lot more earned.
Leave a Reply