Black Desert Online is celebrating its 8th birthday with a handful of major milestones – over 55 million people have played the game and has made over 2 billion Euros in revenue since the game’s Korean launch in 2014. Additionally, Black Desert Console is celebrating its fifth birthday, and it’s been four years since Xbox and PlayStation players received cross-platform support.
To celebrate, developer Pearl Abyss is hosting a month-long series of events and activities for Black Desert Online players. Marking the occasion is the introduction of the Scholar class to Black Desert Console on March 6th.
Known for its mastery of alchemy and gravity manipulation. Scholar introduces new combat mechanics and mobility skills, especially after feedback from PC players. For example, the development team has improved Scholar’s mobility skills on inclined terrain, such as Gravity Anchor, Attraction, and One Giant Leap. They also increased her overall speed of combat by adjusting the animation of key attacking skills, expanding her combo options, and improving her baseline mobility by increasing the speed of mobility skills.
As for PC and Console-version events, here’s a quick rundown of what to expect this month:
- PC players can participate in eight events, such as the Log-in Rewards Extravaganza, Seals of Sincerity Team Rewards, and an artistic Emote Contest. You can find out the details of these PC-specific events here.
- The PC community team will hold a combination “Anniversary” and “War of the Roses” live stream on Sunday, March 3, covering topics such as Best Art and Screenshot of the Year, Hide and Seek Races, an In-Game Concert, Partner Streamers, Quizzes, and more. You can catch the stream from the Black Desert Youtube or Twitch channel.
- Console players are treated with a separate set of events, ranging from the 400% Hot Time Event, Special Title Event, the “Timeless Value After All These Years” Event, the Special (2,200 Cron Stones) Login Rewards, and the Daily Loyalty Shop offer. Check the Black Desert Console page for more details.
To help attract new players, Black Desert Online will be on sale for 90 percent off on the website and Steam, bringing the price down to $1 (or equivalent). The sale runs from February 28 through March 30 on the BDO website, while the Steam sale will be active from February 29 to March 31. All DLC Packs, Traveler, Conqueror, and Explorer are also discounted to 50 percent off their retail prices.
On March 2nd, select Black Desert fans in Los Angeles have been invited to the Adventurers’ Oasis Community Event. There will be a meet-and-greet with the Black Desert team, a cosplay contest, exclusive merch, food, drinks, a live music performance, and special guests and announcements.
“Our dedicated focus in 2024 is to make Black Desert more streamlined, accessible, and engaging for every level of player,” said Jaehee Kim, the Executive Producer of Black Desert. “This eight-year anniversary signals our progress towards that goal, and we’ll continue to achieve even more. Happy birthday, Adventurers!”
Here’s a YouTube video highlighting all of the festivities.