Update: Pearl Abyss has confirmed that the game requires an internet connection for initial setup (day 1 patch). Once installation is complete, the game can be enjoyed offline. However, an internet connection will be required every time they release a patch, the game will not run otherwise.
Crimson Desert is a highly anticipated game that is expected to be the biggest RPG launch of the year. However, just one week before launch it seems the marketing is falling apart. The studio just added Denuvo to Crimson Desert which is bad enough but now reports are coming in that the players who own a physical copy of the game must download a 48GB mandatory update.
Unfortunately, that’s only the half of it. It seems that the game doesn’t work offline. A video posted on X shows the PS5 installer pulling 77.03 GB directly from the disc, followed by a required 48.24 GB day-one update. The process halts with the explicit error: βThis product only works online,β this prevents Crimson Desert from launching on PS5 without an internet connection and patch download.
The installer’s insistence on an online connection blocks even basic progression. Crimson Desert is marketed as a single-player RPG game and a game like this shouldn’t have an online requirement.
The total install size is expected to approach 125β150 GB, common for modern AAA games but single-player experiences should not mandate large day-one downloads or internet to start, especially on physical media.
Social media trends show a backlash brewing against Pearl Abyss and Crimson Desert. In extreme cases, some players claim they cancelled their pre-orders. Despite the backlash, Crimson Desert is expected to have a big launch and things like this eventually die down.
But with the release date looming and physical copies already circulating among early buyers and reviewers, Pearl Abyss and PALION must clarify whether future print runs will include a fuller disc build or if this partial-install model is the final plan.
Crimson Desert is coming to consoles and PC later this month on March 19, 2026.
