Bad News for Crimson Desert

Pearl Abyss’s long-developed Crimson Desert will not be released until late 2025, as fans had hoped. According to the company’s latest earnings call, the game’s release date has been pushed back by a quarter to early 2026. The development team stated that this decision was made due to planning and launch preparations with partners taking longer than expected.

Crimson Desert’s New Schedule and Reasons

Pearl Abyss explained that the decision to postpone the release was based not only on technical but also strategic reasons. It was emphasized that the voice-over work and console certification process, as well as coordination with physical distribution partners, took longer than planned. The company will unveil the first playable version of the game at Gamescom 2025 during this period.

Despite the delay, the launch schedule remains unchanged. Following Gamescom, the same playable demo will be released to Japanese players at the Tokyo Game Show in September. The game’s open-world structure will also be showcased at PAX West. These events are intended to play a significant role in the game’s global launch.

Pearl Abyss apologized to fans for the delay, stating that the decision was a strategic step towards “meaningful success.” The company also emphasized that the exact release date will not be announced at Gamescom. Instead, a definitive release date will be announced in the coming months.

Crimson Desert is Pearl Abyss’s first major AAA console game. Therefore, there are high expectations for both the technical and marketing aspects. While the delay is disappointing for fans, it demonstrates the development team’s commitment to quality. Future announcements will further clarify the game’s final vision.

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