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Lybee Park, Pearl Abyss Europe CEO, says critics may have missed some of Crimson Desert because they had limited review time and played a build that was not the exact launch version. That is her explanation for the gap between the response she described as very positive and a 77 Metacritic score cited by VGC on October 9, 2026—not proof that critics were wrong or that players agreed unanimously. The sales figures also need care: Pearl Abyss confirmed more than 5 million copies sold worldwide in an announcement dated April 15, 2026, while a separate transcript’s “near 7 million” remark is speculation, not an official milestone.
What Lybee Park said about the review scores
VGC reported that The Game Business asked Park about what it described as a very positive player response alongside a Metacritic score of 77. Park said critics reviewed a build that was not the exact version released at launch and had limited time to play. She argued that a review centered on the main quest could overlook the game’s smaller details and the freedom to explore away from expected paths.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Crimson Desert: Standard Edition - PlayStation 5 | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Perp The Persistence Enhanced Amélioré(e) Anglais PlayStation 5 | $18.18 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Maximum Entertainment 34 Sports Games - World Edition (PS5) | $26.97 | Buy on Amazon |
In VGC’s printed account of the interview, Park said: “I do believe both parties have fair points, especially the critics,” then explained that the game’s “unique charm” is “spread all over our in-game world.” She added that critics may not have had a fair chance to discover those details during their review periods. This is Park’s interpretation of the reception, not an independent finding about how reviewers played or what players as a whole thought. VGC’s October 9, 2026 report attributes the comments to her interview with The Game Business.
What the 77 Metacritic score tells you
VGC cited a Metacritic score of 77 when describing the question put to Park. Treat that as the score reported in that October 9, 2026 story, not a permanent or necessarily current reading: aggregate scores can change as reviews are added. The cited passage does not specify the platform edition or review count, so it should not be read as a platform-by-platform score or a complete measure of audience opinion.
#1 Best Overall
- Join Kliff, captain of the Greymanes, and his comrades as they embark on a relentless journey to defend Pywel and fulfill their mission.
- Along your perilous path stands both dependable allies and countless foes who will stop at nothing to see your downfall.
- Face trials to uncover the truth of the catastrophe looming over Pywel and restore peace to the continent.
- Explore the mesmerizing landscapes of the continent where mystical beings, hidden treasures, and thrilling adventures await.
- Pre-order to receive the Khaled Shield (Pre Order Code on Receipt). PS5 Editions include the Grotevant Plate Set DLC as a PS5 exclusive bonus. (In Pack DLC Voucher). Bonus DLC Includes: Grotevan Plate Helm, Grotevan Plate Armor, along with Grotevan cloak, gloves, and boots!
The available evidence does not provide a directly comparable player-score series or a quantified measure of the supposed critic-player gap. Park characterized player response as extremely positive, but that characterization is not itself a measured statistic. A review aggregate, audience sentiment, and unit sales measure different things; one cannot establish the others.
How many copies of Crimson Desert has Pearl Abyss confirmed?
Pearl Abyss officially announced that Crimson Desert had surpassed 5 million copies sold worldwide. The announcement text gives April 15, 2026 as the milestone date; the press-release page is dated May 6, 2026. The company lists PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Apple Mac as platforms. Pearl Abyss’s announcement is the primary source for the confirmed milestone and platform list.
Rank #2
- PS5 Features include raytracing modes and immersive haptic feedback for DualSense
- Use darkness and cover to avoid being overwhelmed by the ship's deadly new inhabitants
- Seek out the weapon fabricators to increase your firepower as you journey deeper, into the dark and terrifying depths, but beware ammo is limited
- Gather materials & schematics for weapon upgrades and suit customizations with buffs
- Harvest DNA material to improve health, toughness and defensive capabilities.Survive an ever changing labyrinth. Each and every expedition into The Persistence will be disorienting and different.Death is just the beginning. Fatal encounters will result in Zimri's consciousness being uploaded into a new cloned body, ready to try again, with any upgraded stats, suits & weapon schematics kept to aid the next attempt to save the ship
Is the 7 million sales figure confirmed?
Not by the sources available here. A GameReactor GRTV transcript says sales were already above 6 million and then speculates that they may be near 7 million. That tentative remark does not confirm a 7 million total, and its publication date is not established in the retrieved result. The GameReactor transcript should therefore be treated as an unverified estimate, not a publisher milestone.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFor a confirmed 7 million claim, look for a newer statement or filing from Pearl Abyss that explicitly gives that total and its date. Until then, the defensible wording is that the publisher confirmed more than 5 million copies sold worldwide as of April 15, 2026; the available transcript mentions more than 6 million and speculates about a figure near 7 million.
Rank #3
- Enter the stadium and take part of one of the biggest competitions across 34 sports: from swimming, soccer, extreme bike, weightlifting, trampoline and much more!
- Defend your own country and visit the World: United States, Australia, Japan, France…
- Train yourself alone or compete with your friends!
- An enhanced version of “30 Sport Games in 1”, with revamped design, new games and more customisation!
How to read the score-and-sales comparison
- Review score: VGC reported a 77 Metacritic score on October 9, 2026; the relevant passage does not state a platform edition or review count.
- Player response: “Extremely positive” is Park’s characterization in the reported interview, not a quantified consensus measure in these sources.
- Sales: Pearl Abyss confirmed more than 5 million copies worldwide, with an April 15, 2026 milestone date; the near-7-million wording in the transcript is explicitly speculative.
These figures can coexist without contradiction: a commercial milestone does not validate or invalidate a critic score, and a critic aggregate does not tell you how every player experienced the game.
Quick Recap
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