Crimson Desert delayed to Q1 2026: Everything you need to know

The game was previously slated to release in late 2025

Pearl Abyss has recently shared the news that they are pushing back the Crimson Desert release from late 2025 to Q1 2026.

This was announced during the Q2 2025 earnings call on August 12, 2025, at 8:09 PM EDT. Let’s find out more details in this article.

Crimson Desert has been delayed to Q1 2026.Currently in the process of voice-overs and console certificationb and will be marketed at Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show.Not a huge surprise, just hope it comes out as polished as possible!https://t.co/2lu3m7TWpY pic.twitter.com/GaBpDE5lOs

— KAMI (@Okami13_) August 13, 2025

Why the delay?

The decision is the result of prolonged timescales for collaborating with many partners for offline distribution, voice-overs, and console certification.

This is what Pearl Abyss has to say:

“We’ve been working on voice-overs and console prep while gearing up for marketing,”

The extra time needed for the game and this strategic move is great, as there is a lot of expectation among gamers for this game. Delivering a fine and polished game should be the main focus.

Also Read: Crimson Desert’s fast-paced combat & mechanics review

Marketing plans for Crimson Desert

Despite the game delay, Pearl Abyss isn’t slowing down when it comes to promotion. The studio is going to showcase the open world built at Gamescom 2025 and PAX West this August.

Next, they will also be present at Tokyo Game Show 2025 in September 2025. For now, the exact release date won’t be revealed at Gamescom 2025.

Based on the new launch, which is Q1 2026, we can expect Pearl Abyss to announce the launch date by the end of this year.

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. We are grateful for your continued interest in our company, and we will do our utmost to deliver an even better experience going forward

Final Thoughts

I think just like me, many fans and gamers were disappointed, knowing that this upcoming masterpiece won’t be coming out in 2025.

However, we are also glad that the studio is taking time and not rushing to release the game. Everyone knows what happens when you launch the game unfinished.

Crimson Desert is looking like a “GOTY” worth game and Pearl Abyss should take their sweet time to deliver a fine and finished game without any bugs, etc.

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