Underwater exploration in the paid Charting the Unknown expansion, which is not included in the five-hour base-game trial. Screenshot: © Pearl Abyss, via Xbox Wire.
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Xbox players can try Crimson Desert Enhanced free for five hours and keep their progress after purchase. The $24.99 expansion is separate and has progression requirements.
If you’ve been curious about Crimson Desert but haven’t wanted to buy it on the strength of a trailer, you can now try the updated base game free for five hours on Xbox Series X or Series S. The trial launched on October 29.
It arrives alongside Charting the Unknown, the expansion with shipbuilding and ocean exploration. That content costs extra: as of November 2, 2026, the US Xbox Store lists the expansion at $24.99, with the base game sold separately. The trial doesn’t include the DLC.
What the five-hour trial includes
Pearl Abyss’s trial FAQ says the offer is open to all Xbox players, with one trial per account. Once you’ve used the five hours, it ends and can’t be restarted.
Your trial progress carries over to the full game, so you won’t need to start again if you decide to buy it.
To find the trial, search for Crimson Desert Enhanced on your console. Pure Xbox’s report points specifically to that listing and its free-trial prompt. Check that you’ve selected the trial before starting a paid purchase.
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Pearl Abyss lists the offer until January 7, 2027; Xbox Wire also mentions January 6, so check the current store deadline before leaving it until the last day.
The “Enhanced” name refers to the updated base game. Pearl Abyss’s free version 2.00 update in August added new cutscenes, story moments, and expanded voice-over and language support. Combined with earlier updates, that became Crimson Desert Enhanced, the version covered by this trial.
What buying the expansion gets you
For players interested in heading out to sea, the official expansion notes describe ships that can be built through camp dispatch missions or bought from fleetmasters. Ships support maritime trading, and parts sold in Demeniss and Delesyia let you customize them. The expansion also opens up offshore islands and underwater ruins and treasures.
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There’s a resource choice here. PC Gamer’s guide explains that building a medium or large ship needs more materials but fewer camp funds than buying one. Check what your camp already has before deciding which route makes sense for you.
Access depends on your progress, too. The ocean quest, A Wider World, starts after Howling Hill and sufficient Greymane camp expansion. The new character quests and Garden of Trials require completing Journey’s End in the main story. Buying the DLC doesn’t bypass those requirements, so returning players should check their save before expecting to sail straight away.
The expansion’s other additions include individual stories for Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane, romance, expanded housing, and business management. Those give existing players more to consider, but newcomers can make the base-game decision first.
Use the trial to decide whether you want to keep playing
For a newcomer, the immediate question is whether the base game feels worth continuing. Use the five hours to judge the controls, combat, and pace for yourself.
Screenshot: © Pearl Abyss, via Xbox Wire. Used under Pearl Abyss’s Fan Content Guidelines. This independent article is not endorsed by Pearl Abyss.
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