Crimson Desert, the highly anticipated game from South Korean developer Pearl Abyss, has finally set a tentative release date. Originally announced at The Game Awards 2024, the game was slated for a Fall 2025 release on PC and consoles. However, there was no specific date provided at the time. That changed this morning when a report from Korean website MTN revealed that the launch could be as soon as November 2, 2025. 
If everything goes according to plan, this date should be confirmed officially soon.
The game has been in development for quite some time, with Pearl Abyss initially unveiling it at G-Star 2019 alongside other projects like DokeV and PLAN 8. At that time, it was designed to be an MMORPG similar to the studio’s flagship title, Black Desert. However, as development progressed, the game evolved into a single-player action/adventure with a strong narrative focus, resulting in delays. The game was originally set to debut in Winter 2021, but it seems the shift in direction extended the timeline significantly.
In Crimson Desert, players take on the role of Kliff, the captain of the Greymanes mercenary group. Along with his team, Kliff embarks on a dangerous journey to protect the continent of Pywel. The adventure spans a variety of locations, from the snowy mountains of Kweiden to the fertile plains of Akapen and the high peaks of Crimson Desert. Along the way, Kliff will meet both loyal allies and dangerous enemies who will stop at nothing to see him fail. Players must solve the mystery of an impending catastrophe while navigating the treacherous landscapes.
The game’s world is vast, utilizing the BlackSpace Engine for realistic simulations of everything from trees and grass to clothing and hair. At GDC 2025, the developers showcased the engine’s capabilities, including real-time physics, destructible environments, dynamic weather, ray tracing, and even ocean simulations. Crimson Desert promises to deliver an immersive open-world experience like no other.
3 comments
I feel like they’re trying to make it all ‘next-gen’ with all the real-time weather and ray tracing, but if the gameplay’s not smooth, who cares? I’m hoping they nail it
Not sure what happened with Chrono Odyssey, but I hope Crimson Desert doesn’t go down the same path. It looked so good at first, but then the play-tests were a mess. Fingers crossed it turns out better
BDO players always called it a ‘fighting game’ despite its third-person perspective. Now I get it… The combat style seems to be more action-focused than I originally thought. I guess it’s a bit like Souls, but not quite