Game discs for the highly anticipated title, Crimson Desert, have reportedly reached some players ahead of its official release date on March 20th. However, unlike previous incidents such as Resident Evil Requiem, this early distribution has not led to spoilers or gameplay leaks.
Developers at Pearl Abyss have implemented a robust digital rights management (DRM) system that requires an online connection for the game’s initial launch. This measure effectively locks players out of the game until its global release day, even if they possess a physical copy.
While this strategy successfully prevents premature access and spoilers, it has raised concerns among a segment of the player base. Some gamers are apprehensive about potential internet connectivity issues on launch day, which could prevent them from playing the game they purchased, drawing comparisons to Nintendo’s Game Key-card systems where physical media still requires an online check or digital key.
The developers’ foresight in anticipating early disc distribution has successfully maintained the secrecy surrounding Crimson Desert’s content, but at the cost of some player anxiety regarding launch day accessibility.