Tag: Pearl Abyss
Red hot
No matter how you feel about the game, it seems Crimson Desert has been a massive hit. The single-player, open world action adventure, from MMO studio Pearl Abyss, launched last week to a fairly mixed critical reception, but in less than a week, it's achieved more than three million copies sold. That figure comes from a recent update...
News Crimson Desert Dev to Patch PS5 RPG's 'Uncomfortable' Controls
Apologises for launch day issues
There’s a lot to love about PS5 RPG Crimson Desert, but its control scheme is not one of them. It takes cues from the worst of Rockstar’s releases, and is somehow even more cumbersome and complicated than even those. In a message on X (or Twitter), dev Pearl Abyss says it’s been listening to feedback and is...
"We will listen closely to the wide range of feedback"
It only launched a few hours ago, but Crimson Desert has already sold through two million copies worldwide, making it a massive success for dev Pearl Abyss. In a message on social media, the dev acknowledged the support of its fans, and said it’s already paying close attention to feedback and...
Make up your own mind
We’ve finally been able to test Crimson Desert on base PS5. For those who haven’t been keeping tabs on this title, Pearl Abyss didn’t provide us with console review code prior to release. (We have since received codes for Sony’s system.) While we’re working on a full hands on report based on the PS5 Pro version,...
Hands On Crimson Desert Runs Well Enough on PS5 Pro, But What About That Intro?
The most baffling opening in gaming
It does not matter how long you've been playing video games for, or how many of them you've finished: Crimson Desert has the ability to make you feel like you're back at the beginning again. The new open worlder is one of the most baffling games we've ever played — from almost every angle. It's a lesson in how...
News Crimson Desert's Mixed Reviews See Dev's Share Price Drop Almost 30%
Abyss
The first batch of reviews have been rolling in for Crimson Desert, and while they're pretty good, they aren't quite as hot as many expected. The open world action game is much anticipated, and is seemingly on track to be a big hit this year. That's likely to still come true, but it seems that there's been a very mixed reception from critics...
Round Up Crimson Desert Reviews Are a Major Disappointment
78 on Metacritic, 80 on Opencritic
One of the most anticipated games of 2026 so far, it's now time to see if Crimson Desert is any good. Critic reviews are being published 24 hours ahead of the worldwide release, and below you shall find a Round Up of the biggest and most important ones. It's important to note all critic reviews are based on the PC...
Site News Where's Our Crimson Desert PS5 Review?
Only the PC version made available
With the release of Crimson Desert now just 24 hours away, you'll soon see the Internet flooded with critic reviews. But, on this occasion, Push Square unfortunately can't join the party. All the verdicts you find online today are based on PC review code. Pearl Abyss, the game's developer and publisher, has not...
News Here Is Crimson Desert Gameplay on Base PS5
Courtesy of PlayStation Japan
You demanded it, and here it finally is: Crimson Desert running on a base PS5. Footage comes from PlayStation Japan in its Play! Play! Play! format, so you will have to put up with a lot of talking and on-screen graphics of Japanese text. However, there is still close to 20 minutes of base PS5 gameplay footage to view...
News Crimson Desert PS5 Trophies Leak, and They're Basically Nonsensical
35 Trophies with a Platinum to unlock
Crimson Desert is shrouded in such mystery that even its Trophy list on PS5 will draw attention. However, this particular Trophy list isn't one you can glean many details from. In fact, it's the polar opposite. A leaker with access to the PS5 version of the game has shared the Trophy list with Polish website...
Feature Inside Pearl Abyss, the Ambitious Studio Behind PS5's Massive Crimson Desert
Coffee, mocap, and the making of an epic
When I stepped inside the hallowed halls of Korean dev Pearl Abyss’ purpose-built Seoul complex last November, the promise of PS5 open world action adventure Crimson Desert was obvious but its sheer ambition was still unclear. Several months later, the benefit of hindsight has put my whistle-stop tour of...
News Crimson Desert's Mandatory PS5 Update Sparks Debate About Games Which Break Street Date
"Hopefully this becomes the norm"
You won’t be able to play physical copies of Crimson Desert without downloading an update. According to the game’s official FAQ, once you’ve pulled this data from Sony’s servers, the title will be fully playable offline. But it’ll need that initial connection in order to boot. This has sparked lots of...
Opinion Crimson Desert Could Be PS5 Game of the Year, or a Total Mess
Watch out for that Kliff
Ah, Crimson Desert, the game that seemingly does everything. It's honestly been a long time since I was so interested in seeing how a title turns out — and I mean that on a fundamental level, as you can probably tell from the headline. Sitting here now, it feels like Crimson Desert has the potential to be something truly...
News Crimson Desert PS5 Concern as Physical Copies Won't Run without Download
But will play offline after initial update
If you’re planning to go physical with upcoming RPG Crimson Desert, then keep in mind you’ll need to connect to the Internet to fully install the game. With wild copies beginning to circulate ahead of the release’s PS5 launch, we can now confirm that the game won’t run off its Blu-ray disc...
News First Crimson Desert PS5 Pro Analysis Calls It 'A Phenomenal Experience'
Console footage is finally here
It's finally time to take a look at Crimson Desert running on a console. Our friends over at Digital Foundry have been lucky enough to play the game on PS5 Pro, and have delivered a lengthy, in-depth analysis of how the open world adventure performs. As you may know, all of the uncut Crimson Desert gameplay footage...
The final countdown
With hype at an all-time high, there’s one key question for Crimson Desert to answer: just how will it run on consoles? Rumour has it there’ll be no console reviews of the wildly ambitious console RPG prior to launch, which has understandably aroused suspicion among PS5 owners. But Korean dev Pearl Abyss has maintained a...
News Crimson Desert's PS5, PS5 Pro Modes Revealed, PS5 Pro Offers Substantial Upgrades
Performance, Balanced, and Quality modes detailed
Pearl Abyss has revealed Crimson Desert launches with three different graphical and performance modes on consoles, with base PS5 and PS5 Pro offering different resolutions and target frame rates. At launch, on 19th March 2026, here is what you'll have to choose from, depending on which PS5 console...
News Crimson Desert Confirms PSSR 2 on PS5 Pro, But Glowing Previews All Based on PC Version
The wait continues
A bunch of previews for Crimson Desert have just dropped and most are raving about what could be one of the most impressive open world games of the generation — but guess what? We're still waiting on that all-important console footage. PS5 players are currently citing new footage that's taken from the official PlayStation Blog,...
News 'We're Not Hiding Anything': Crimson Desert Dev 'Sick' of Claims Around No PS5 Footage
Fans compare it to Cyberpunk 2077 launch
Developers at Crimson Desert studio Pearl Abyss, and most notably PR and marketing director Will Powers, seem to be at the end of their tethers regarding the concerns around the lack of console footage for the game. With the open world title now just over two weeks away from its console and PC release, the...
News Crimson Desert Tech Analysis Raises More Questions About PS5 Performance
PC build impresses
Our friends over at Digital Foundry just published an in-depth look at Crimson Desert, the open world adventure that's set release for PS5 in just over a couple of weeks. The aforementioned analysis, however, is all about the game's performance on PC, and the tech that's behind its impressive visuals and physics. In short, Pearl...
News Is Crimson Desert an RPG? Weird Online Arguments Erupt as Dev Refuses to Call It One
It's an open world adventure, actually
We're exactly one month away from Crimson Desert releasing on PS5, and for many, it's ended up being one of the most anticipated titles of 2026 so far. But is it an RPG? This is apparently the question that's now plaguing Crimson Desert discourse, with arguments taking place across social media over the last...
Crimson alert
It's starting to sound like Crimson Desert will offer up a stern challenge when it launches on PS5 next month. There are still plenty of questions surrounding the hugely ambitious open world title, but developer Pearl Abyss is at least starting to answer some of the bigger ones. Case in point, marketing and PR director Will Powers...
News Crimson Desert PS5 Is Also a Full-On Life Sim Game, Last Deep Dive Video Reveals
Camps! Farming! Fishing! Mining!
Crimson Desert studio Pearl Abyss has today concluded its deep dive video series on the upcoming open world title by revealing all the life simulator features and elements it has to go alongside the core experience. To keep it short, there's a lot. At the heart of the game will be your base camp, the Greymane Camp...
News If Crimson Desert Wasn't Ambitious Enough, It Also Has a Mech and Two More Playable Characters
Second deep dive video talks combat and progression
For the vast majority of its Crimson Desert marketing up until now, developer Pearl Abyss has focused on pitching the bearded Kliff as the protagonist. However, did you know there are actually two more playable characters? Oh, and you can control a mech? The second of three deep dive videos...
News PS5 Open Worlder Crimson Desert Seems Destined to Be a Hit, Tops 2 Million Wishlists
The chosen one?
While we're still not quite sure on where we stand with Crimson Desert, it's starting to look like it'll be one of the most popular releases of 2026 so far. The open world title, which has looked hugely ambitious since day one, has managed to rack up over 2 million wishlists across all platforms. Wishlists certainly aren't a...
News You'll Want to Play Crimson Desert on PS5 Pro for Dedicated Enhancements
The best version on consoles
Pearl Abyss has revealed that Crimson Desert will offer PS5 Pro support through dedicated enhancements designed to make the ambitious title look and run better. It is yet to confirm any graphical modes, so frame rates and visual settings are currently unknown, but a recent interview with Destin shares the upgraded Sony...
News Crimson Desert Deep Dive Tries to Prove Its Crazy Potential Is Reality
15-minute gameplay video released
One of the most ambitious PS5 game set to launch this year, Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss has started a deep dive gameplay series that attempts to properly explain the core mechanics and features of the RPG. The first episode is available to watch now above. There will be three parts to the overview series,...
News Crimson Desert Goes Gold, Ambitious PS5 Open Worlder Locks in March Release Date
Fantasy becomes reality
Hugely ambitious open world adventure Crimson Desert has officially gone gold, developer Pearl Abyss has announced. This means that the PS5 title — which was first revealed all the way back in 2020 — should hit its targeted 19th March release date. Indeed, we've been waiting quite some time for this one — and to be...
News Stunning Crimson Desert PS5 Footage Reveals a Wildly Ambitious RPG
Feel good dragon
Crimson Desert is around six months away, and you may want to mark its 19th March release date on your calendar right now. IGN has got dibs on some exclusive new gameplay footage from the forthcoming RPG, and frankly it looks extraordinary. The footage shows PlayStation button prompts, so while it could still be PC with a DualSense...
News Good God, Crimson Desert's PS5 Collector's Edition Costs a Whopping $280
You must really like dragons
Look, we know Crimson Desert is set to be a ridiculously ambitious open world outing, but would you pay $280 / €280 / £250 for a Collector's Edition of the game? Because that's how much the premium package is going to cost, assuming the pricing strategy isn't changed ahead of its 19th March release date. Here's what...
News Stupidly Ambitious PS5 Open World Crimson Desert Nails Down March 2026 Release Date
Finally
After being hit with a delay just a couple of months back that knocked it out of 2025, Crimson Desert has finally nailed down a confirmed release date. The open world adventure has looked ridiculously ambitious ever since its initial reveal, so all eyes will be on the finished build, which is now locked in for the 19th March, 2026. It's...
News Astoundingly Ambitious PS5 RPG Crimson Desert Looks Like It'll Ease the Wait for The Witcher 4
Watch 13 minutes of new gameplay
An epic 13-minute gameplay demo for Crimson Desert has been released, following the game’s delay into 2026 recently. While the setback may be disappointing, this new PS5 footage should help ease the wait. It’s clear that Korean developer Pearl Abyss has got something special cooking here. Just to be clear,...
News Ambitious Open World RPG Crimson Desert Delayed to 2026
Now out in Q1 of next year
Pearl Abyss has announced it's delaying its ambitious RPG Crimson Desert to the first quarter of next year, meaning it's now set to arrive on PS5 between January and March of 2026. The open worlder was slated to arrive later this year, and it sounds like a final release date was planned to be confirmed during next week's...
Round Up New Crimson Desert Previews Raise Concerns Over Open World RPG's Intense Combat
Over the Kliff
A fresh batch of previews for Crimson Desert have popped up online, and as always, it's intriguing to hear more about this extremely promising open world adventure. However, these new hands-on articles do raise some concerns over how the action RPG actually plays. In case you haven't seen previous gameplay clips, it's fair to say...
News PS5 Open World Crimson Desert Shows Off Its Insane Game Engine in New Videos
Is this next-gen?
Crimson Desert has always looked ridiculously ambitious — to the point where plenty of people outright doubted its validity — but with its late 2025 release window in hand, the title's keen to keep impressing. Case in point, developer Pearl Abyss has debuted several gameplay videos that showcase the game's engine. They cover...
News Ridiculously Ambitious PS5 Open World Crimson Desert Confirms 2025 Release
Seeing red
When Crimson Desert was confirmed for The Game Awards, just about everyone thought it'd get a release date — but that's not quite the case. Developer Pearl Abyss has dropped a new trailer — in which the open world PS5 title continues to look ridiculously ambitious — but we're left with a release window rather than a date. The...
News PS5 Open World Crimson Desert Gets Even More Gameplay Footage, Still Looks Crazy
Bewitched
If you've been keeping up with Crimson Desert — the open world action game from Korean developer Pearl Abyss — you may remember seeing a bunch of gameplay videos a few months back. There were boss fights, and then there was a crazy 50-minute walkthrough. It's fair to say that the project's been wowing audiences for quite some time...
News Crimson Desert Dev Found PS5 Exclusive Opportunity Appealing
But thought it could make more money by self-publishing
Update: An English transcript of Pearl Abyss’ investor relations report has now been shared, shedding more like on Sony’s approach to publish Crimson Desert. As reported previously, the platform holder has been sniffing around South Korean devs, and saw potential in the upcoming RPG. It...
News Wow, PS5 Open Worlder Crimson Desert Gets 50 Whole Minutes of Gorgeous 4K Gameplay
Ridiculous potential
Crimson Desert already received a load of gameplay footage for Gamescom last month, but those videos focused exclusively on boss battles. So, just to remind everyone that this is an open world adventure, developer Pearl Abyss has dropped a massive 50-minute gameplay demonstration, which showcases everything from cutscenes, to...
Preview Crimson Desert Is Real, Complex, and Potentially Great
One hour with the promising PS5 open worlder
After various "too good to be true" showcases during livestreams in the past, we can now officially confirm that Crimson Desert is an actual, real video game. In a 60-minute session on the Gamescom showfloor, we pressed all the buttons on a PS5 controller connected to a PC and things happened on-screen...
News PS5 Open World Crimson Desert Unleashes Even More Gameplay, Big Boss Battles Look Crazy
That's boss
Pearl Abyss has really lifted the lid on Crimson Desert at Gamescom 2024, handing us yet more gameplay footage from the upcoming open world action title. We get to gawk at not one, not two, but three boss battles, as protagonist Kliff fights for hits life against a roster of vastly different foes. The first clash involves a giant...
News PS5 Open World Crimson Desert Gets 7 Minutes of Raw Gameplay, and It Looks Ridiculous
Snow joke
Ahead of its showing at Gamescom this week, we've been handed seven whole minutes of Crimson Desert gameplay. Just to refresh your memory, this is the open world action adventure from South Korean developer Pearl Abyss. When it was first revealed all the way back at The Game Awards in 2020, many questioned the project's legitimacy — and...
News Crimson Desert, That Stunning PS5 Open World Adventure, Is Actually Playable at Gamescom
Much more info on the way
First announced way back at The Game Awards in 2020, Crimson Desert has since dropped jaws with gameplay snippets and last year's full trailer — to the point where onlookers have consistently questioned the project's legitimacy. Fortunately, developer Pearl Abyss has announced that the open world action adventure will...
News Open World RPG Crimson Desert Looks Borderline Unbelievable in Gameplay Blowout
Ridiculous potential if true
When Crimson Desert was first announced at The Game Awards in 2020, many wondered whether the clearly ambitious title was simply too good to be true. And now, close to three years later, we've got our next glimpse at South Korean developer Peal Abyss' project. To be frank, it looks ridiculous. The longer this trailer...
News Amazing Looking Open World Crimson Desert Returns at Gamescom Opening Night Live
It was delayed indefinitely in 2021
Remember Crimson Desert? The impressive looking open world adventure was first shown at The Game Awards back in 2020, and it was one of those gameplay trailers that had people questioning whether it was actually real footage. Roughly six months later, the project was delayed indefinitely, with developer Pearl Aby
News You Know You Want to Listen to the DokeV Trailer Song All Day
Rockstar
Whether it’s TWICE, Girls’ Generation, or AOA – everyone knows you can’t beat a classic k-pop banger. You may want to put the music from DokeV’s trailer on repeat today, then, just to give you a bit of pip on this otherwise sleepy Tuesday afternoon. Pearl Abyss has uploaded the audio to Spotify, and you can dance along for as many...
News DokeV Dev Insists PS5 Creature Collector Is Not an MMO
Open world action adventure
DokeV captured the imagination with its demo during Gamescom 2021 earlier today, but some fans noticed that the South Korean title has been shown before. An older trailer which debuted in 2019 described the title as an MMO, and that’s left core gamers antsy – there’s almost always a resistance to online multiplayer...
News Black Desert Dev Pearl Abyss Turns to Pokémon for Next Project
Creature collector debuts during Gamescom Opening Night Live
The last project that Black Desert developer Pearl Abyss announced during a Geoff Keighley livestream ended up being delayed indefinitely, so don’t hold your breath too hard for DokeV. Announced during Gam
News The Ambitious Crimson Desert Has Been Delayed Indefinitely
Adding more ideas to the game
Remember when Crimson Desert lit up The Game Awards 2020 with an ambitious trailer that looked almost too good to be true? While a release date wasn't attached to the project at the time, we will now have to wait even longer to play it for ourselves because Pearl Abyss has delayed it to an unspecified date. This is so...
News Crimson Desert Debuts Gameplay Trailer at The Game Awards
Watch it now
As promised, Pearl Abyss has shown off the first gameplay trailer for its upcoming game, Crimson Desert, at The Game Awards. We've embedded it above for your viewing pleasure. Crimson Desert is a game set within the same universe as the popular MMO Black Desert. It's a big, open world action adventure with both single player and online...
