DaRmaZat Pearl Abyss has announced that its ambitious open-world action adventure Crimson Desert will no longer launch in late 2025. The studio now plans to release the game sometime in the first quarter of 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
The update came during the company’s Q2 2025 earnings call, where Pearl Abyss explained that the game is currently in the final stages of production. Voice recording is underway, alongside console certification and coordination with multiple partners to prepare for both digital and physical distribution.
According to the developer, these steps have taken longer than expected, making the one-quarter delay necessary. Pearl Abyss stressed that the move is a strategic choice aimed at ensuring the game’s debut meets the high expectations placed on its first large-scale AAA console project.
While an exact release date has been set internally, Pearl Abyss will announce it publicly at a later stage based on marketing and business considerations. The studio also confirmed that Crimson Desert will be playable at several major events in the coming months, including Gamescom, PAX West, and Tokyo Game Show, giving fans a closer look at the game before launch.
