Introduction
If you are searching for a crimson desert metacritic score, the short answer is 77 out of 100 on both PC and PlayStation 5 in the later snapshots, in Metacritic’s “generally favorable” band. That number hides a divided critical response, and it has moved slightly since launch, when early round-ups reported 78.
This guide separates the platform scores from the headlines, explains what OpenCritic says, and sets out what critics praised and criticised.
Crimson Desert Metacritic at a Glance
Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure developed and published by Pearl Abyss, rebuilt as a focused single-player campaign with no co-op or player-versus-player mode.
| Fact | Crimson Desert metacritic detail |
|---|---|
| Developer and publisher | Pearl Abyss |
| Release date | 19 March 2026 |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Mac |
| Main character | Kliff, leader of the Greymanes |
| Setting | The continent of Pywel |
| Multiplayer | No, single-player only |
| Post-launch update | Crimson Desert Enhanced, free update, 25 August 2026 |
A Nintendo Switch 2 version is reported as planned for the first half of 2027, and it has no Metacritic score yet.
The Score by Platform: Why It Moved
Metacritic does not give Crimson Desert one universal score. It gives a separate aggregate for each platform, and those aggregates change as more reviews are added, so different articles quote different snapshots, not contradictions.
At launch, round-ups reported 78, based mainly on PC reviews, because advance copies before release were largely PC versions. Later snapshots put both PC and PlayStation 5 at 77: a solid, generally favourable average, well short of near-90 consensus scores.
| Platform | Metacritic snapshot | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| PC | 77 out of 100, later snapshot | Generally favorable, from more than 100 critic reviews in later coverage |
| PlayStation 5 | 77 out of 100, later snapshot | Generally favorable, matching the PC aggregate in later snapshots |
| Launch round-ups | 78 out of 100, March 2026 | Early average, based mainly on PC reviews before console coverage widened |
| Xbox Series X|S | No separate aggregate highlighted | No widely reported Xbox-specific figure in the main round-ups |
Treat any single figure as a snapshot: 78 usually means the launch window, 77 the later, broader review set. Neither is a fresh score for the Enhanced update.
OpenCritic: A Second View
OpenCritic tells a similar story. At launch, round-ups put its average at around 80 to 81, slightly above Metacritic, before later snapshots settled lower: one later page lists 78 out of 100 from 155 reviews, with around 74 per cent of critics recommending the game.
That gap is the key to reading the score. Most critics recommended the game, but few called it flawless, and the two aggregators differ slightly because they count different review sets.
What Individual Outlets Actually Scored
The outlet scores explain the average better than the average explains itself. Most landed in the 7 to 8 out of 10 range, which is exactly where a 77 aggregate comes from, with a few enthusiastic highs and a few frustrated lows on either side.
| Outlet | Score reported |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 8.5 out of 10 |
| PC Gamer (UK) | 80 out of 100 |
| GamesRadar+ | 4 out of 5 |
| TechRadar | 4 out of 5 |
| GameSpot | 7 out of 10 |
| Game Informer | 7 out of 10 |
| Eurogamer | 3 out of 5 |
| Shacknews | 5 out of 10 |
| IGN | 6 out of 10, review in progress at launch |
Two scores need context. IGN’s 6 out of 10 was a review-in-progress score, published while its reviewer was still working through a very long game. Eurogamer’s 3 out of 5, equivalent to 6 out of 10, rested on dated-feeling side quests and a messy structure. At the other end, launch round-ups also recorded Forbes at 9.5 out of 10 and Vice at 5 out of 5.
What Critics Praised and Criticised
The praise is remarkably consistent, even from outlets that scored the game in the middle of the scale. Critics loved the world itself: a seamless Pywel that rewards wandering, with dense detail and systems that interact in unexpected ways. Exploration, not the main quest, is repeatedly named as the game’s greatest strength, alongside physical, hands-on combat and boss fights that demand pattern recognition.
The criticisms are just as consistent, and they explain why the score stopped at 77. The most repeated complaint is the story: weak writing, a hard-to-follow plot and an uneven quest structure. Controls and interface drew almost as much fire, with cluttered menus and poorly explained systems at the start, and technical problems featured at launch, including bugs and at least one reported progress-blocking issue. Later patches addressed controls and stability, but those fixes came after most launch reviews were filed.
Pearl Abyss has since argued that the score does not fully reflect the game, with its European chief executive saying critics had limited time and a pre-release build, and mostly followed the main story rather than exploring the wider world.
Does the Score Still Apply After the Enhanced Update?
The free Crimson Desert Enhanced update of 25 August 2026 improved the base game for existing owners, while the paid Charting the Unknown expansion, released 29 October 2026, added ships, diving and housing as separate content.
Metacritic has not issued a new aggregate for the Enhanced update, so 77 remains a launch-era score, not a re-review. Later individual reviews were more positive, with one September 2026 review scoring it 8.5 out of 10 while still noting weak puzzle design and narrative depth. Updates have addressed some, but not all, of the flaws critics named.
Sales tell a different part of the story. Crimson Desert passed six million copies within about three months of launch, with roughly half from PlayStation and Xbox, showing the wider audience responded more warmly than the critic average suggests.
For UK players, the score should also be read alongside the price. Launch prices were reported at around £54.99 for the Standard Edition and around £64.99 for the Deluxe Edition, with the Charting the Unknown expansion at £19.99 and the base game required. Treat those as reported prices, not a live quote: in late October 2026, UK deal coverage reported the base game from around £11.48 at some retailers.
Conclusion
The crimson desert metacritic story is not a single number. It is a 77 out of 100 average on PC and PlayStation 5 in later snapshots, down slightly from 78 at launch, with OpenCritic in a similar high-70s range and around three quarters of critics recommending the game. Behind that average sits a wide spread, driven by a world and combat system critics loved and a story, interface and launch polish they did not.
If you want the game for exploration, combat and scale, the score should not put you off, especially at a discount. If you want a tightly told story and a clean interface, the score is warning you fairly. Read more on Game Horizon.
FAQs
What is the Crimson Desert Metacritic score?
In later snapshots, Crimson Desert scores 77 out of 100 on both PC and PlayStation 5, in Metacritic’s “generally favorable” band. Early launch round-ups reported 78, based mainly on PC reviews.
Is there a separate Xbox Metacritic score for Crimson Desert?
No widely reported Xbox-specific aggregate appears in the main round-ups, which focus on PC and PlayStation 5. The 77 figure should not be quoted as an Xbox score without checking the platform page.
What is Crimson Desert’s OpenCritic score?
OpenCritic has sat in a similar range, with launch round-ups around 80 to 81 and a later page listing 78 out of 100 from 155 reviews, alongside around 74 per cent of critics recommending the game.
What did IGN score Crimson Desert?
IGN published a review-in-progress score of 6 out of 10 at launch, while its reviewer was still working through the game, citing poor writing and unintuitive puzzles. It was provisional, not a final mark.
Why is the Metacritic score only 77 if the game sold so well?
Critics praised the world, exploration and combat but criticised the story, interface and launch issues, which kept the average in the high 70s. Sales measure purchases, not scores, and Crimson Desert passed six million copies within about three months despite the score.
Is the Metacritic score still accurate after the Enhanced update?
Not entirely. The 77 aggregate is based mainly on launch-era reviews, and Metacritic has not issued a fresh aggregate for the free Enhanced update of 25 August 2026, so it remains a launch snapshot rather than a current re-review.