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Crimson Desert has officially been delayed.
Pearl Abyss made the announcement in their latest earnings call:
The launch of Crimson Desert, our first large-scale AAA console game, has been unavoidably delayed by one quarter, from the previously announced schedule.
This is due to longer than expected timelines arising from schedule coordination and collaborations with multiple partners for offline distribution, voice-overs, console certification, and other launch preparations.
… The release date has been internally confirmed for Q1 2026. However, given the change in launch timing, we will announce the date at a more appropriate time based on business considerations, rather than making an announcement at Gamescom next week.
Why You Should Care About Crimson Desert
We just listed Crimson Desert as one of the top 10 most anticipated games of 2025. Of course, that list already aged poorly. But our anticipation will survive the quarter delay.
Crimson Desert is a sprawling open world fantasy action game. It will also be Pearl Abyss’ first single-player game. It has already impressed gamers and the press with public demos and previews. You can rest assured there’s something substantial behind the hype.
Crimson Desert Got Attention For Other Reasons
Pearl Abyss made a stir when they revealed they rejected an exclusivity offer from PlayStation. At least, this is what a reporter claims they said in an earlier financial meeting.
The same reporter claims Pearl Abyss rejected the offer since they could publish the game themselves. Pearl Abyss had already been publishing their games in the West for over a decade. This was something that Shift Up could not do for their game, Stellar Blade.
Pearl Abyss would tell the press and fans about their custom game engine Black Space. Making Black Space allowed them to do things that aren’t possible in Unreal 5. That includes creating things that Pearl Abyss wanted to do, but no one else has tried before.
A Delay Is Fine… For Now
Pearl Abyss must be thinking about Grand Theft Auto 6 also releasing in 2026. They definitely want to release Crimson Desert months before it does. The studio must be hoping they can polish and finalize the game by Q1.
If Pearl Abyss is lucky, they will meet the new Q1 2026 deadline they set for themselves. But they may also have to worry about Resident Evil Requiem, which is releasing on February 27, 2026.
Ultimately, all Pearl Abyss can do is deliver a great game and hope the gamers notice to make it a success.
