If you’ve spent any time browsing Pearl Abyss’s lineup of open world action games, you’ve almost certainly asked yourself whether to play crimson desert before or after black desert. The two titles share a studio, core combat DNA, and even the same fictional universe, but they’re wildly different experiences that cater to very different playstyles. I’ve put over 600 hours into Black Desert across PC and console, and played through the full early access Crimson Desert campaign twice, so I’ve tested both play orders to see what works best for different types of players. This guide breaks down the pros and cons of each order, plus how to pick the right one for your gaming habits.
What to Expect If You Play Crimson Desert Before or After Black Desert
Before you pick an order, it helps to understand the core differences between the two games that will shape your experience. I’ve broken down the biggest factors that matter for play order below, so you know exactly what you’re getting into no matter which order you choose. These core differences are the biggest factors that will shape your experience with crimson desert before or after black desert.
- Lore connections: Both games are set in the same universe, 20 years apart, with shared character cameos and faction backstories that bleed between both titles
- Gameplay structure: Black Desert is a full open-world sandbox MMO with no linear main path, Crimson Desert is a narrative-driven open world action RPG with optional multiplayer modes
- Progression systems: Black Desert has 15+ years of layered grind, life skill, and customization systems, Crimson Desert has far more streamlined, story-focused progression with no mandatory grind
- Combat feel: Both have skill-based action combat, but Crimson Desert is more fast-paced, with less reliance on endless skill rotation memorization for casual play
If you play Crimson Desert first, you’ll get a self-contained, easy to follow introduction to the world of Abyss One without any prior lore baggage. You won’t catch all the tiny Easter eggs, but you also won’t get overwhelmed by the dozens of systems Black Desert throws at new players within the first hour. If you play Black Desert first, you’ll have context for every faction conflict, side character cameo, and offhand lore reference in Crimson Desert, but you might find Crimson’s more limited endgame content underwhelming at first.
Reasons to Play Crimson Desert First
This order is perfect for anyone who is brand new to Pearl Abyss games, or anyone who prefers narrative content over endless sandbox grind. I recommended this order to my little brother last year, who only has 4-5 hours a week to game, and he had way more fun than when he tried to jump into Black Desert first and quit after a week of confusing, unskippable tutorials.
You don't have to grind 50+ hours just to access the main story content, which is one of the most common complaints for new Black Desert players. Crimson Desert’s main campaign is fully accessible from the first minute you boot up the game, and you can finish the full core story in 30-35 hours of casual play. You also won’t have to learn dozens of unrelated systems like fishing, trading, or node management just to progress the main plot, which is a huge relief for players who don’t care about sandbox content.
If you end up loving the world and combat, you can always jump into Black Desert after you finish Crimson’s campaign to get more long-term content. This order also works well if you’re not sure if you’ll like Pearl Abyss’s combat style, since Crimson is a far smaller time investment to test out. If you don’t have hundreds of hours to sink into a new MMO right now, this is the obvious pick for play order.
Reasons to Play Black Desert First
This order is ideal for long-time MMO fans who love sandbox freedom, or anyone who plans to spend hundreds of hours in the franchise long-term. If you’re still on the fence about crimson desert before or after black desert, playing Black Desert first is the better pick for anyone who loves deep, grindable progression systems and open-ended content.
You'll catch every hidden lore reference in Crimson Desert that new players will miss entirely, like nods to the original Black Spirit, or the origin of the Calpheon Republic’s centuries-long conflict with Valencia. When I played Crimson Desert after 400 hours of Black Desert, I got genuine emotional payoff from running into younger versions of NPCs I’d done dozens of quests for in Black Desert, which my friend who played Crimson first didn’t even notice.
If you plan to spend hundreds of hours in the franchise long-term, playing Black Desert first will make your time with Crimson Desert feel far more rewarding. You’ll also already be familiar with the core combat mechanics, so you can jump straight into the harder difficulty modes in Crimson Desert without having to re-learn how to dodge, combo, or use crowd control abilities. If you love PvP, life skill grinding, or open world player wars, Black Desert’s systems are far more fleshed out than Crimson’s early access multiplayer modes, so you’ll have more content to dig into right away.
How to Pick the Right Play Order For You
You don’t have to follow the common recommendations if they don’t fit your playstyle. I’ve tested both orders, and I’ve found that the right choice almost always comes down to two simple questions: how much time do you have to game, and what type of content do you prefer?
If you only have 10-20 hours a month to play, or you prefer linear, story-driven content over open-ended sandbox grind, go with Crimson Desert first. If you have 10+ hours a week to game, or you love deep progression systems and PvP content, go with Black Desert first. If you hate unfinished early access content, wait until Crimson Desert is fully released before playing it, regardless of order, since the early access version still has missing endgame content and occasional buggy story sections.
You don't have to finish one before playing the other if you don’t want to, either. Lots of players I know bounce between both games depending on their mood that day: they play Black Desert when they want to grind or hang out with guild friends, and play Crimson Desert when they want to follow the story without pressure. No matter where you land on the debate of crimson desert before or after black desert, the most important thing is picking the order that matches what you want out of your gaming time.
At the end of the day, there’s no universal correct answer when it comes to crimson desert before or after black desert. Both games are polished, fun takes on open world action, and you really can’t go wrong with either order if it fits your playstyle. I still prefer playing Black Desert first for the lore payoff, but I always recommend Crimson first for new players who get overwhelmed by complex MMO systems. Whichever order you pick, you’re in for a fun, action-packed time with some of the best combat in any modern open world game.