- Primary Subject: Crimson Desert (Version 1.02.00)
- Key Update: Pearl Abyss released a roadmap on April 10, 2026, confirming new pets, expanded mount equipment, and boss rematches are coming between now and June.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: April 11, 2026
- Quick Answer: While Crimson Desert features adorable cats and dogs that loot items, the system currently lacks combat utility and diversity, though a 2026 roadmap hints at expansions.
Crimson Desert has to be one of the best experiences when it comes to open-world RPGs. It is a game that makes you feel like you can almost do anything you want, and there are so many options available to you to ensure that the game is never boring.
One of those things would be the pets. While you're exploring, you'll eventually run into towns or cities, and in them will be wild dogs or cats. You can repeatedly walk up to pet them or give them gifts, raising their trust in the process. When you max that out, they'll become your pet, and you can bring them to your camp or have them accompany you along in your journey.
It is one of the best things in the game, but it's also one of the worst. The reason I say this is that the pet system had the potential to be even better than it is. While it's not exactly bad in its current state, there were signs that it could have done more, but never did.
One example would be the different types of pets that you could have owned. As previously mentioned, you can tame stray cats and dogs, but that's about it. They're not bad companions, considering that they're one of the first animals you'd think of when the word "pet" comes to mind, but it's disappointing that they're the only ones you can domesticate.
This is because throughout the world of Crimson Desert, you will meet different kinds of animals. In some areas, you can meet raccoons, and then you might find wolves or even a kiwi when you explore other places. With the different types of creatures that you run into, you'd think that they could also form bonds with them and keep them as pets.
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Unfortunately, that isn't the case, which is a huge blow to Crimson Desert's pets. It is also weird that the game does this, considering that you can tame horses that you find in the wild, so it would have made sense if you could do it to other animals as well.
Another reason why the pet system is underwhelming and could have been so much more is that they could have acted as additional companions. While Damiane and Oongka are fine as they are, some would rather have animals as their preferred traveling and battling buddies. The mounts should have been the alternative, but the vast majority can only be used temporarily, with the permanent ones being locked as late or endgame content.
Pets can be obtained early, and they can travel around with you, but unfortunately, they're limited to loot collectors. Their only real purpose is to look cute and take away some of the loneliness during your travels, while picking up some items that you might have missed. That isn't all bad, but you'd think they could have at least had a few moves that would have helped give you the edge during fights.
What makes it even more disappointing that they aren't battle buddies is the fact that there are outfits in Crimson Desert for them. You can eventually purchase them upon reaching certain areas, and their only purpose is to add more flair and personality to your little pets.
Some of the ones that you can buy can make your small buddies look like they're ready to do battle, which is why it's such a shame that they aren't able to. On that note, if they were able to participate in combat, it would have added an extra layer to gameplay.
Each pet could have had its own stats, and you could have potentially trained them the same way you would train Kliff. The armor you could have bought from different NPCs could have also been used to increase their combat capabilities, giving them new attacks or ways to defend themselves.
If that isn't enough, then perhaps when downed in battle, it could have been set up that they'd be permanently dead when it happens. This would have added emotional attachment to the pets, making players truly care about them, and possibly enjoy the game even more.
All of these could have been possible, given what's already available to work with, but sadly, that isn't the case. What we're stuck with instead are animal companions that had the potential to be more, but are relegated to being adorable but boring traveling looters.
Crimson Desert will likely have more major updates in the future, so there is still the possibility that Pearl Abyss can make some major changes to the game's pet system. Given the many ways it could enhance the overall game quality if it were to happen, there's a good chance it will, but we'll have to wait and see if it ever does.
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