Black Desert Online Rebooted

Download Black Desert Online and experience intense combat scenarios

Black Desert Online has been on the market for many years, yet it keeps reinventing itself. Right now, the game is in one of those phases again, drawing in many new players eager to see how the classes feel to play. In other words, it’s the perfect time for both newcomers and returning players to jump into Black Desert Online. 

Game genre – MMORPG

The MMORPG genre has stumbled a bit in recent years because building the perfect game is hard. MMORPG stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game—meaning it must combine RPG elements (such as story, combat, classes, and exploration) with lots of players at the same time. That mix often creates challenges, which is why we don’t see many brand-new MMORPGs today. 

Responsive combat

Black Desert Online is renowned for its combat system, which helped redefine expectations for an MMORPG. Combat is built around a combo system, much like traditional fighting games, where specific key combinations trigger distinct attacks. Battles feel incredibly smooth and fast. You dash across the battlefield, unleashing massive, visually stunning skills against hordes of enemies while other players do the same around you. 

Play with lots of other people

In return, the genre lets you play with other players in your region, which can become a powerful source of motivation—often without you even noticing. 

The world rarely feels empty, as there’s almost always someone to meet. Earlier this year it was announced the game had been installed 20 million times, so you should have no trouble finding people to play with. 

Ease of use

Black Desert Online isn’t the easiest game to get started with. In fact, it used to be quite challenging to begin your journey in this MMORPG. The game is highly complex, not only in combat but also in areas like gathering materials and the auction/market system. 

This is a game that requires a solid time investment—both to play and to learn its many systems. The payoff is worth it, though: combat feels incredibly satisfying once you learn how to play your class. 

Availability

Over the years, BDO has launched on several platforms. You can buy the game for PlayStation 4 here. 

You can also buy the game for your Xbox; in that case, purchase it via this link. If you have Xbox Game Pass, Black Desert is included. 

You can, of course, try the game for free on PC via the link at the bottom of this page. 

Black Desert Mobile is also available for iPhone and Android, and both versions are free to play. 

Try the game free during the trial; not a free-to-play game

With the free version, you can play for 7 days (occasionally you may be offered a 30‑day trial, though it isn’t always available to everyone). After the trial ends, you’ll need to purchase the game to continue playing your characters, but you can often find it on sale (including on Steam). Thanks to its age, the regular price is low—typically under $15 for the standard edition. 

Ongoing updates

Over the past few years, the game has received many cosmetic updates that help it look more modern. It also gets frequent content updates introducing new classes, quests, regions to explore, and much more.

Other games you can play

Path of Exile continues BDO’s combat focus. In PoE, you need to act strategically and quickly as waves of enemies rush you. It uses an isometric perspective (similar to modern Diablo titles) and also receives frequent updates. 

Final Fantasy XIV has been recognized as one of the very best MMORPGs in the world, two years running. It plays quite differently than BDO—Final Fantasy emphasizes an amazing story and world-building, while combat is less dynamic and uses classic tab-targeting, characteristic of many older MMORPGs. 

If you want a compromise between BDO and FFXIV, you might try Guild Wars 2. It focuses on story, gets frequent updates, and you can try it completely free. The combat is more dynamic than Final Fantasy’s but not as complex as Black Desert Online—arguably the golden middle ground and a perfect place for a beginner to start. 

Conclusion

Black Desert Online has evolved significantly since its original 2014 release, even rebooting its world a few times with updates to the setting, story, combat system, and graphics. 

Today, the game is far more approachable and offers many more options. With stunning visuals and a fantastic combat system, we definitely recommend trying Black Desert Online’s free trial.