Crimson Desert
BRIEFING
Publisher: Pearl Abyss
Developer: Pearl Abyss
Game: Crimson Desert
Gaming Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Release Date: March 19th, 2026
Geos: UK, Germany, France, Spain
Social Platforms: YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, TikTok
Goal: Drive awareness at launch, support conversion through creator-led content, and position the game as a premium, deep, and demanding open-world experience.
Set in the world of Pywel, Crimson Desert had been building anticipation for over a decade. With 11 years of development behind it, expectations were high. The challenge wasn’t just visibility—it was about doing justice to the game’s depth, scale, and ambition through the right creators and the right formats.
APPROACH
From the outset, this campaign was designed as a multi-layered ecosystem rather than a one-off activation. We partnered with Pearl Abyss across Europe, collaborating alongside other agencies while taking the lead on YouTube content, creative executions, and key creator activations across the UK, Germany, France, and Spain.
The strategy revolved around one central idea: depth requires time. This wasn’t a game that could be explained in a few seconds. It needed space, context, and creators who could guide their audiences through its systems.
We structured the campaign around three distinct creator groups.
First, preview event attendees. Selected creators were invited to Amsterdam for an exclusive hands-on session, where they captured early gameplay and prepared content for embargo. This ensured that the first wave of content felt informed, credible, and editorial in tone.
Second, key creators. These were carefully selected streamers and video creators who could carry the game during launch week. Their role was not just to play, but to translate the experience to their audiences. To support this, we introduced in-game challenges that shaped their early progression and encouraged deeper engagement during streams.
Third, YouTube and TikTok creators. This group balanced gameplay-driven content—reviews, guides, and tips—with highly creative executions. Due to production constraints, we shifted from large-scale concepts to more hands-on craftsmanship formats, including cosplay builds and real-world recreations of in-game elements.
Across all tiers, creator selection was critical. We focused on individuals with a proven ability to handle complex systems, maintain audience retention over long sessions, and influence purchasing decisions within the open-world action-adventure space.
CAMPAIGN STAGE 1 - PREVIEW EVENT & EARLY ACCESS
The campaign began with an exclusive preview event in Amsterdam (watch the recap video here), where selected creators had four hours of hands-on gameplay that they could share and two hours of closed-doors late-game.
This phase was designed to establish credibility early. Content produced under embargo leaned into review-style storytelling, allowing creators to share structured opinions and first impressions ahead of launch.
Two embargo waves shaped the rollout after that, as this secured review access for some creators who could play and create content before launch, but were not allowed to share it.. The first embargo, 24 hours before release, focused strictly on review-driven content. The second, at launch, allowed full creative freedom across formats.
This early access proved essential. It ensured that the first touchpoints the audience had with Crimson Desert came from informed voices who had spent meaningful time with the game.
CAMPAIGN STAGE 2 - RELEASE
Launch week brought the full ecosystem to life.
Key creators delivered structured livestreams supported by custom in-game challenges. These created clear progression moments, encouraged chat interaction, and helped guide audiences through the opening hours of the game.
At the same time, creators with Review access were allowed to post all the content they had been preparing: from guides and tips and tricks to how to get late-game mounts and special gear.
Also, YouTube and TikTok creative content pieces were posted, amplifying reach and extending visibility beyond core gaming audiences.
Together, these layers created a funnel from discovery to immersion: short-form content driving awareness, long-form video building understanding, and livestreams delivering real-time engagement.
RESULTS
CAMPAIGN STAGE 1 - PREVIEW EVENT & EARLY ACCESS
The preview phase delivered strong early momentum.
Creators who attended the event produced highly engaging content that significantly outperformed expectations. Videos from creators such as Revenant (228k views, 1143% over estimates) and Julien Chièze (268k views, 1339% over estimates) demonstrated that early, informed coverage resonated strongly with audiences.
More importantly, this phase positioned Crimson Desert as a premium and credible release before launch even began.
Many creators who attended the preview event ended up publishing organic content for Crimson Desert.
* For the purpose of this case study we are only counting the videos produced about the preview event in this stage and not the Early Access reviews (counted at launch).
SPONSORED RESULTS
YouTube: 3.9M views total, +875% estimate, +91% CPM below estimate (only an approx. 8% of the estimated)
CAMPAIGN STAGE 2 - RELEASE
The release phase exceeded expectations across all platforms.
On Twitch, a small but highly curated group of creators delivered strong results. Streams consistently overperformed, with extended playtime and additional organic sessions significantly increasing total watch time.
HandOfBlood, for example, went far beyond the planned scope, generating over 200K hours watched through extended streaming. AlexElCapo delivered one of the most efficient performances of the campaign, significantly outperforming projections.
YouTube and TikTok continued to scale, with both gameplay-driven and creative content proving that even complex systems can translate into engaging and accessible formats when handled by the right creators.
SPONSORED RESULTS
YouTube: 23.3M views total, +445% estimate, +81% CPM below estimate (only an approx. 18% of the estimated)
Twitch: 116K cumulated avg CCV, 105% estimate, +455k hours watched, 117 minutes overtime on avg, a third of the average CPVH estimated
TikTok / IG Reels: 9.7M views total (of which 5.3M/53% views Spark ads), 472% estimate
CONCLUSION AND LEARNINGS
Crimson Desert is a game defined by its depth, and the campaign fully embraced that.
Rather than simplifying the experience, we leaned into it, selecting creators who could communicate complexity, designing activations that encouraged exploration, and building a structure that allowed content to evolve organically over time.
The results speak for themselves. Strong overperformance across all platforms, high creator engagement, and a significant volume of organic content contributed to a highly successful launch. Within days, the game reached millions of copies sold, securing its place as one of the standout releases of the year.
The campaign was not without its challenges. Managing dual embargoes, coordinating across multiple stakeholders, and adapting to last-minute creator changes required constant alignment. However, these challenges ultimately reinforced the importance of flexibility and strong communication.
Several key learnings emerged. Games with depth benefit from longer formats and creators who can sustain attention. A smaller number of highly aligned Twitch creators can outperform larger rosters. Encouraging organic continuation is one of the most effective ways to extend impact. And early hands-on access remains critical for building credibility.
Ultimately, this campaign demonstrated that when creators are empowered to explore and interpret a game on their own terms, they don’t just promote it, but they help audiences understand its value.
We’re proud to have partnered with Pearl Abyss on this launch and look forward to what comes next.
