Last updated on April 20, 2026
Pearl Abyss did not hold back with Crimson Desert. The world of Pywel is enormous, the content list is staggering, and the question most players are asking before they dive in is a simple one: how long is this actually going to take?
The honest answer depends entirely on how you play. Here is a realistic breakdown.
Main Story Only: Around 50 to 60 Hours
If you are the type to skip side content and push straight through the main plot, expect somewhere between 50 and 60 hours from the Prologue to the Epilogue across all 12 chapters.
That number does not mean 60 hours of smooth sailing. It includes the time you will spend retrying boss fights, working through the more complex puzzles, and just navigating a world that is large enough to occasionally slow you down. If you want to see the credits, a solid week of focused play should get you there.
Main Story Plus Side Quests: 200 to 300 Hours
This is where Crimson Desert starts to feel genuinely massive. The moment you start engaging with side content, the hour count jumps dramatically.
Crimson Desert has over 500 faction quests spread across the world. Some are quick and straightforward. Others unfold across multiple stages and end in large-scale battles that feel like main missions in their own right. Trying to clear the map of all of them is not a casual weekend project. Even getting through a solid portion of them pushes most players well past the 200-hour mark.
For guides visit our Crimson Desert guides page.
Full 100% Completion: Around 400 Hours
For completionists, Crimson Desert is basically a second job. Getting to 100% means going far beyond quests and combat.
Here is what that journey involves:
Artifact hunting. Tracking down every item hidden in the Sealed Abyss takes time and patience.
The Knowledge system. There are 2,896 Knowledge tabs to fill out. That alone is a project.
Major puzzles. Over 50 large puzzles are scattered across the surface world and inside the Abyss. Some require preparation, some require exploration, and a few will genuinely stump you.
Creature collection. Hundreds of hours go into studying and capturing the local wildlife. This one is not quick.
If you are chasing a platinum trophy or full map completion, Pywel will be your home for months. There is no way around it.
What Kind of Player Are You?
Crimson Desert is not the kind of game you finish in a weekend and move on from. Even the most direct playthrough is a serious time investment. The side content exists in such volume that it can easily become the main game if you let it.
Most players will probably land somewhere in the 100 to 150 hour range naturally, finishing the story and completing whatever catches their attention along the way. That is a satisfying run through everything the game does best without treating completion as the goal.
If you are planning to go the full distance, just make sure you actually want to spend 400 hours in this world. Fortunately, it is a very good world to spend time in.
I’m passionate about books and video games. These two great passions represent, for me, a boundless universe where I can “escape” from reality whenever I need or want to. There are so many stories, worlds, and landscapes where I can instantly teleport that I don’t think a whole lifetime would be enough to explore them all (though it would be my greatest dream to be able to).
