Crimson Desert finally fixes one of its most-requested quality-of-life issues

Finally, Crimson Desert has fixed one of its most glaring issues since launch, and it should make navigating the popular fantasy RPG much easier.

Time has certainly flown since Pearl Abyss’ Crimson Desert was first released in March 2026, one of this year's early Game of the Year contenders. However, despite being a very solid game from the get-go, it wasn't without flaws.

While offering a vast sense of adventure in the stunning world of Pywel, fans complained about its clunky controls and lack of explanation for its gameplay mechanics. As well as sudden difficulty spikes, an awkward inventory management system, a cluttered user interface, and more.

Recent Crimson Desert update finally fixes a mission issue

Thankfully, pretty much all of those issues (and then some) have been fixed by the developers, and one of them was fixed in a recent update, patch 1.18.00. The issue in question relates to how the user interface presents its missions and subcategories in the menu. Now, it’s been streamlined, so it’s not only easier on the eye but also easier to find the quests you’re looking for.

This is surely a welcome improvement, because no doubt, very few of us enjoy navigating a cluttered menu. “The new category consists of 8 sub-categories: Main Quests, Faction Quests, Investigation Quests, Research Quests, Daily Life Quests, Guide, Archive Records, Constellations,” the patch notes read.

READ MORE: Terrifying Crimson Desert mod turns the game into a soulslike boss rush

Patch 1.18.00 also improves the lock-on camera options, being able to equip horse gear at stables, discovered areas are better highlighted in the world map, as well as the standard improved stability and performance.

Pearl Abyss has also released two additional updates following patch 1.18.00 over the weekend, with 1.18.01 and 1.18.02. Both make smaller improvements, with fixes to the map, a bug related to housing items, animation stuttering, and so on.

Credit goes to Pearl Abyss for not only fixing many of Crimson Desert's issues since launch, but it has seemingly worked tirelessly to make the RPG a better experience for everyone, going above and beyond expectations. Furthermore, with the release of the first DLC expansion arriving later this year, we can expect Crimson Desert to get even better.

We reviewed Crimson Desert at launch

“Crimson Desert is by no means a perfect game. It’s an amalgamation of perhaps slightly too many ideas, and that makes for a weirdly paced experience that demands a lot of the player without offering much in the way of help,” said GAMINGbible’s Kate in her March 2026 review.

“And yet, it left me in awe more times than anything else I’ve played in recent memory with its dazzling open world. Crimson Desert may not be the best game you'll ever play, but it’ll certainly be up there as perhaps the most memorable.”

Crimson Desert is out now on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.