Pearl Abyss held its 17th annual general meeting of shareholders on Thursday at its Home One headquarters in Gwacheon. At the meeting, held shortly after the release of Crimson Desert, shareholders approved three agenda items as originally proposed: approval of financial statements and consolidated financial statements, establishment of rules setting limits on compensation for directors and auditors, and appointment of outside directors. The company set a new cap on director compensation at 10 billion won.

In a business report, CEO Heo Jin-young (허진영) said 2025 consolidated operating revenue rose 9.8 percent from a year earlier. He said the company posted an operating loss due to higher Crimson Desert marketing costs, and swung to a net loss as foreign currency-related gains recorded the previous year disappeared. Performance of existing games was solid. Annual sales for the Black Desert IP grew 4.2 percent from a year earlier, while EVE rose 13 percent on the back of two expansion pack releases.

Crimson Desert sells 3 million copies in four days; early performance shared

The company also shared early results for Crimson Desert, which drew attention shortly after launch. Heo said the title ranked No. 1 in sales on Steam after release, posted a peak concurrent user count of 240,000, recorded 540,000 Twitch viewers and sold 3 million copies within four days. On some refund issues raised early in the launch, he said the company explained to the market that they were at a typical level.

During a shareholder Q&A, criticism continued over the lack of a storyline. Heo said the development team was keenly aware of users' disappointment over the story. He said the direction was partly valid given that many users were enjoying the game as a result of the team's focus on strengthening gameplay.

No DLC confirmed; weighing ways to extend the lifecycle

There were also many questions about downloadable content (DLC) and revenue strategy going forward. Heo said it was possible not only to sell DLC separately but also to keep base game sales going through content expansion. He said a specific DLC plan had not yet been confirmed, adding that the company would first focus on stabilising the game and expanding base game sales, and decide its direction with profitability in mind.

Shareholders also raised concerns about a gap until the release of the next title, DokeV, following Crimson Desert. Heo said the company had a mission to introduce a new IP within 2 to 3 years, and that it needed to maintain a long lifecycle for released games in the meantime. DokeV is being developed on the same BlackSpace Engine as Crimson Desert, and the company is aiming to disclose its development status this year.

Heo said the company would continue to upgrade Crimson Desert based on user feedback so that it becomes a game loved for a long time. He added that this year it would improve results based on Crimson Desert's launch performance and repay shareholders.