Crimson Desert's 'cutscene fast-forward' feature shouldn't be as controversial as it is

The latest round of Crimson Desert previews has struck up fresh division, this time about the ability to speed up its cutscenes. The vast open-world game from Black Desert Online developer Pearl Abyss has finally snowballed from cautiously optimistic previews to a 'can't put it back in the box' level of hype that has brought me full circle to worrying whether it can possibly live up to people's expectations. The question splitting fans today: is the ability to fast-forward its dialog a sign that the story won't be up to scratch, or a welcome concession for a game that's expected to last more than 50 hours?

A post to X from content creator 'Jake Lucky' reads, "One of the features I really liked in Crimson Desert is that you can fast-forward through dialog while still being able to understand the context. It's not a jump skip, but a time save." They include a video, seen below, of what this looks like in action. By holding down a button, the game runs at somewhere around 1.5x to 2x speed; fast enough that it's clearly 'sped up,' but still at a pace that you can follow if you're paying attention.

Will I play the game this way? Not on a first runthrough, certainly, although I might be tempted if I'm pushed into repeat cutscenes after failing a challenging encounter. But in Crimson Desert, Pearl Abyss has created a world it expects you to spend an estimated 50 to 80 hours in. I could easily see that count racking up even higher if you have a tendency, as I do, to poke around in every corner of its vast map, or meticulously build your camp down to the last detail. Something has to give.

March 4, 2026

The implementation shown here strikes me as the ideal happy medium for anyone who wants to play Crimson Desert but is worrying about the time investment. It's certainly a preferable alternative to outright skipping through cutscenes, which I've known many friends to do, especially in longer games. As seen in the demonstration above, the majority of the original experience is preserved as-is, just moving a little faster, and you have the choice to lean on it if a small section of exposition isn't tickling your fancy.

Some users responding to Lucky aren't as convinced. One writes, "You're playing an RPG, but you're happy you can skip dialog?" Putting aside the fact that Pearl Abyss is being careful to avoid calling Crimson Desert an RPG, this feature is precisely the opposite of a traditional skip button, which you'll find in almost any game with extended cutscenes or dialog. It's not the first game to offer this tool - Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has the same function, and it makes repeat playthroughs much more appealing. As others point out, Black Desert Online also boasts something similar.

Until full reviews land, the jury will remain out on Crimson Desert's story, which remains one of its biggest unknowns. What I will say is that my very first impression during Gamescom 2024, before its intricate combat hooked me in, was being rapidly enamored by the dialog and its brash and braggadocious cast. I've continued to be largely impressed by the footage that's come our way since, and I'm ready to immerse myself fully in Kliff's world. If you want to reach for the fast-forward button, you should have that option without being forced to skip scenes completely, but I'll be taking each moment as it comes.