Pearl Abyss, the developers of Crimson Desert, the upcoming MMO from the creators of Black Desert, have announced that they’re delaying the game indefinitely. We don’t even have a new release date to look forward to. The reason they delayed, according to the message they sent to fans, is because they need more time to put ideas into the game and, it’s implied, out of concern for the health of the team.
The statement they posted reads: “We are currently hard at work developing Crimson Desert, which is rapidly evolving with new adventures and exciting experiences. However, we have decided that we need to dedicate more time to adding new ideas for an even deeper, more enriching game. Therefore, in order to create the best possible experience, all the while ensuring the health and safety of everyone involved in delivering the game, we have decided to delay Crimson Desert’s release. We will provide an updated schedule in the future.”
Crimson Desert was first revealed in 2019 with a cinematic trailer, with a gameplay trailer following this year. The atmosphere of the game is somewhere between The Witcher and Game of Thrones, being a fantasy set in a world where monsters exist. The player character is a mercenary who must attempt to survive in this world, called Pywel. The game is designed for both solo and multiplayer gameplay.
While keeping a team safe is an adequate reason for delaying a game, it’s surprising to see the team imply that they’re delaying because they want to add more to the game. The game, as shown in the trailers, appears to be a very large and rich experience already, so it’d be interesting to see what they’re adding that requires the extra time. The game was originally supposed to be released sometime this coming winter.