Crimson Desert is launching soon on PS5, but if you’re eyeing a physical copy, there’s a catch: the game won’t run straight from the Blu-ray disc. You’ll need to connect online and download a hefty day one patch before you can play.
Early screenshots of the install process reveal about 76GB copied from the disc, yet the full install size on PC clocks in closer to 150GB. Even with PS5 compression, the Blu-ray can’t hold the entire game. Pearl Abyss chose not to ship multiple discs, so the rest of the data comes through a download.
This means disc owners can’t just pop in the game and play offline right away. That initial internet connection is mandatory. After the patch is installed, you can play offline, but the first launch is locked behind this download wall.
Why It Matters: Preservation and Player Frustration
This approach frustrates physical collectors and preservationists alike. Many buy discs to guarantee long-term access-even if servers eventually shut down. With Crimson Desert, the disc alone is useless without that crucial first patch. It’s not as extreme as a “Game Key Card” (where the disc is just a license), but the effect is the same: no download, no play.
For players with slow or unreliable internet, this is a real pain. The day one patch is likely massive, and skipping it isn’t an option. Plus, the game won’t support the PS5 Pro’s new PSSR upscaler out of the box-another feature arriving via patch at launch.
Industry Trend: The Shrinking Value of Physical
This isn’t the first major release to ship without the full game on disc. Publishers are increasingly using discs as partial installers, delivering the rest digitally. It cuts manufacturing costs (no need for multiple Blu-rays) but chips away at the value of physical ownership.
For now, once you’ve downloaded the patch, you can play Crimson Desert offline. No ongoing server check-ins are required. But that initial download requirement means the disc alone won’t preserve the game for future generations.
The bottom line
- Physical buyers must connect to the internet and download a large patch before playing.
- After the initial update, offline play is possible, but the disc alone isn’t enough.
- Preservationists and collectors lose out since the full game isn’t on the disc.
If you’re a disc collector or have spotty internet, plan ahead-or brace for a long download before you can dive into Crimson Desert.