Developer Pearl Abyss has announced a new delay for its long-awaited open-world action-adventure game, Crimson Desert. First announced in 2020 and rumored numerous times since then, the game was originally scheduled for release in the last quarter of 2025. However, the South Korea-based studio’s latest announcement has pushed the game’s release to the first quarter of 2026.

Crimson Desert to Release Later

Pearl Abyss stated that the decision was made for technical and logistical reasons. The lack of console certification, the ongoing voice-over work, and the ongoing preparations for physical distribution were among the main factors affecting this process.

Shiftdelete.net

The company’s senior executives stated that the decision was made to strengthen the game’s launch and ensure its long-term success.

Despite this delay, Crimson Desert will continue its promotional campaign. The new playable version of the game will be revealed at Gamescom 2025 and PAX West in August. It will also perform at the Tokyo Game Show in September. The promotional content is expected to include more details about the game’s technical infrastructure, combat mechanics, and story-driven gameplay.

Crimson Desert was initially planned for a winter 2021 release. Initially developed as an MMORPG, the project has evolved over time into a fully single-player, open-world experience.

The game, which aims to offer players free exploration across a vast map, melee-based combat, and story-driven mission structures, is being developed for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The game will also feature Turkish language support.

The new release date (day and month) has not yet been confirmed. According to Pearl Abyss’ official business plan, the announcement is expected in the coming months.