Speedrunner harpo669 has set a new world record for Crimson Desert, completing the massive open-world title in just 11 hours, 26 minutes, and 14 seconds—a time over 50 hours faster than the average player.
A Record-Breaking Pace
Proving that even the most expansive virtual playgrounds can be conquered with precision, the speedrunning community has wasted no time tackling Crimson Desert. The current world record, verified on Speedrun.com, belongs to harpo669, a player from Quebec, Canada. By finishing the game in under 12 hours, he has not only outpaced the typical story-focused playthrough tracked by HowLongToBeat by more than 50 hours, but he has also widened his lead over the competition, beating his nearest rival by nearly a full hour.
The leaderboard remains exclusive for now, with only one other runner currently in the mix. GuryDub, representing the United States, holds the second-place spot with a formidable time of 12 hours, 20 minutes, and three seconds. Considering the game has been available for less than two months, these early benchmarks highlight a significant level of dedication and mechanical mastery.
Room for Improvement
“Good run overall, need more practice for the Tank bosses and bad robot fight,” harpo669 noted in his submission description. Despite the exhaustion evident in his stream, the runner expressed a clear desire to further optimize his route. For harpo669, this represents a major departure from his usual repertoire; he typically focuses on SNES and NES classics, with his previous longest run being Trials of Mana, which clocked in at under three hours.
Community Critiques
While the speedrunning community is pushing the boundaries of Crimson Desert, the experience of reaching the end has sparked debate regarding the game’s design. GuryDub, upon completing their run, expressed disappointment with the final boss encounter. “Even for a 12-hour run, this is so unfulfilling,” they remarked, suggesting that the climax of the game fails to match the quality of the journey leading up to it.
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