- Primary Subject: Crimson Desert
- Key Update: Players are criticizing the mount system for lacking permanent ownership despite pre-launch expectations of collectible creatures
- Status: Ongoing community backlash and discussion
- Last Verified: March 24, 2026
- Quick Answer: Crimson Desert’s mount system is facing backlash because most creatures are temporary rather than collectible, leading players to feel misled by pre-launch marketing.
The conversation around Crimson Desert has shifted pretty quickly from early technical complaints to something much bigger, with the game’s mount system now becoming one of the most talked-about issues among players.
Early criticism around clunky controls, missing PC key-binding, and a confusing opening (which even dropped its Steam rating to “Mixed” at launch) has gradually been replaced by growing frustration over how mounts actually work.
The situation feels worse because the game heavily promoted mount variety before launch, showcasing nearly 30 rideable creatures like wolves, bears, raptors, birds, and even dragons.
This led many players to expect a robust mount system that would allow them to tame, collect, and freely use these creatures throughout the game.
What Players Expected vs What They Got
However, the illusion fades later on, as most mounts are not permanent companions but short-term additions.
Players report that outside of horses, which behave like traditional mounts, most creatures can only be used briefly after being subdued.
Instead of building a long-term bond, players can only ride animals after weakening them, and the creatures soon become hostile again or disappear entirely.
This means that the idea of collecting mounts (something many assumed would be a core feature) is largely absent in its current form.
For players who went in expecting a progression-based system where they could build a stable of unique creatures, this design choice has made the mechanic feel shallow and, in some cases, pointless.
This gap between what players expected and what they actually got is why “false advertising” is now being thrown around, as the frustration isn’t just about the mechanics, but how they were marketed before release.
Promotional materials and trailers repeatedly showed a wide range of creatures being ridden, often equipped with saddles, which naturally suggested that these mounts could be owned or unlocked permanently.
Many players feel the game was advertised with mount lovers in mind, which only deepened the assumption that taming and collecting would be a key mechanic.
Many now feel the game failed to draw a clear line between what was shown and what players could actually do, which comes across as misleading rather than just disappointing.
Why It Feels Like an MMO System in a Solo Game
This has led to a broader discussion about whether Crimson Desert is still carrying design elements from its earlier development phases, particularly its origins as a project that may have once leaned more heavily toward online or MMO-style systems.
Players have pointed out that not just the mount system, but other mechanics in the game (such as cooldowns, resource limitations, and certain progression restrictions) seem to reflect design philosophies that prioritize balance over player freedom.
While this approach can make sense in a shared online world, many players feel it clashes with the expectations of a single-player RPG that emphasizes exploration and personal choice.
The result is a system that feels artificially constrained, even in situations where those constraints do not seem necessary. Another major issue is how these limitations affect player motivation.
For many, the idea of discovering and taming rare creatures was supposed to be a rewarding part of the game’s open-world experience.
But when those creatures cannot be kept or meaningfully integrated into long-term progression, the incentive to engage with the system drops significantly.
Some players have already expressed that they are choosing to ignore the mount mechanic entirely because it no longer feels worth the effort.
Instead of enhancing exploration, the system ends up feeling like a temporary novelty that loses its appeal once its limitations become clear.
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