Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss simply launched a patch that makes plenty of important enhancements, however one which gamers are already praising lowers the problem of one of many hardest actions within the sport: the archery minigame.
If you happen to’ve performed Crimson Desert for just a few hours you’ll most likely have encountered this minigame, which challenges you to an archery contest in opposition to an NPC. The thought right here is to be the primary to attain 10 hits, with targets popping up one after one other.
It’s value noting the management scheme for firing an arrow, which entails holding a button to goal then releasing the button to fireplace. It’s NOT a fast course of — actually not fast sufficient for what’s to return. The additional into the competition you get (it prices you coin to take part), the more durable your opponent. Later opponents begin doing their greatest Robin Hood impression, seemingly predicting the place the goal will pop up and touchdown a success within the blink of an eye fixed.
Gamers had known as this minigame not possible earlier than immediately’s patch (we right here at IGN even had some helpful suggestions for it), with some suspecting it was so arduous it was bugged.
If this archery half does not get nerfed in a future patch, I’D BE SURPRISED!
I am a keyboard and mouse man for capturing video games however I am utilizing 🎮 and with no friction on track, I KNOW people are going to RAGE at this half. 😭😭😭
Crimson Desert devs actually mentioned ffffffffk YOUUUUU 😭 pic.twitter.com/iWoifEzgEd
— Gaming Since NES (@GamingSinceNES) March 22, 2026
“Truthful warning, archery competitors is actually not possible to win,” said one disgruntled player. “When the goal reveals up you may have, and I’m not exaggerating one bit, about 250 milliseconds to register that the goal is there, goal then maintain the button to fireplace (for some purpose????). The NPC f***ing predicts the place the goal is gonna be and nearly pre-fires earlier than the goal even reveals up.
“Fairly positive it’s a bug, so in the event you see the archery competitors then higher save your cash and ignore it till they repair it.”
“It’s hilarious, I’m not even kidding, the AI shot the arrow earlier than the goal began lifting and hit it earlier than it went all the way in which up lmao,” mentioned one other. “I swear AI was letting arrows free earlier than the goal was up a number of instances, instantaneous pictures,” one other mentioned. “S**t like this fucking ruins video games. How the f**okay did this get previous testing?” mentioned one other participant.
Fortunately, the archery contest is simpler, because of the replace. And that has sparked one thing of a flex throughout the group, with those that managed — someway — to beat it crowing that they did so pre-patch. “I simply need it to be identified that I did this earlier than the patch,” mentioned the appropriately named FreddyLeeSavage.
However how did they handle such a feat? “Yeah there have been even instances the place I shot my arrow first I do know I did and so they nonetheless gave the CPU the purpose,” FreddyLeeSavage defined. “This specific one I did get fairly fortunate tho simply locked in and was near the spot the place the goal popped up more often than not.”
“He’s John Crimson Desert himself,” one fan mentioned. “I beat Radahn earlier than the patch so we’re principally the identical,” one other fan quipped. “I actually don’t know why it was nerfed, very winnable competitors simply not a whole stroll within the park,” a participant, maybe Robin Hood himself, commented.
Making the archery contest simpler isn’t the one significant change hitting Crimson Desert immediately alongside the patch. Pearl Abyss has additionally adjusted some gamepad and keyboard/mouse controls, elevated well being restored from meals and gadgets, and, crucially, added new merchandise storage within the Howling Hill Camp.
And in the event you’re leaping into Crimson Desert’s big open world, we advocate you check out our information to Issues to Do First in Crimson Desert, plus Issues Crimson Desert Doesn’t Inform You (we’ve bought 28 and counting!). We’ve additionally bought a information to the Finest Early Weapons we advocate selecting up, the Finest Expertise to Get First (together with a useful explainer of the talents system), and 34 Important Ideas and Tips that will help you reach Pywel.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You may attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.