Crimson Desert is congratulated by the Prime Minister of South Korea

Crimson Desert, the ambitious hodgepodge RPG from developer Pearl Abyss, is a resounding success, selling over five million copies in less than a month while continuing to top the Steam charts today.

The game has proven to be such a hit that even South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has taken notice. “I sincerely congratulate the success of Crimson Desert, which has raised the status of the South Korean gaming industry on the global stage,” he wrote to X (kudos to IGN for spotting).

Crimson Desert is the fastest selling console game in South Korean history.

“The vivid game world, created entirely with its own technology from start to finish, graphics similar to photorealism and proactive communication have captured the hearts of gamers worldwide,” he continued. “By naturally weaving in Korean elements like Taekwondo and Korean cuisine, they have opened a new chapter for K content.”

Min-seok also noted that the game “serves as a crucial turning point, showing that the domestic game industry can expand and leap forward across various platforms, including consoles.” To that end, he promised that “The government will take responsibility and provide active support,” creating “an environment where K-games can shine as a pillar of K-content.”

The gaming industry is eyeing political figureheads across the globe, and for once it's not wagging its finger at violence

Kliff draws a bow in the Crimson Desert.

More and more political figureheads are paying tribute to the games industry and its cultural impact recently, with Czech President Petr Pavel highlighting Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in his New Year's speech, and French President Emmanuel Macron congratulating Sandfall Interactive on a “historic first” GOTY win with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: Expedition 33 exemplifying its French game. audacity and creativity” (although Macron also said that video games “poison” the minds of young people, so).

Last year, Shift Up CEO Hyung-tae Kim even received a Presidential Commendation for the team's work on Stellar Blade, which sold over a million copies on PC in just three days. Perhaps, given South Korea's continued promise to support its booming in-house gaming industry, we'll see Pearl Abyss on the receiving end of something similar in 2026.