Crimson Desert is almost here, and the single-player RPG takes us into a high-fantasy world. Developed by Pearl Abyss, the studio behind Black Desert, this new title drops the MMO focus and places players firmly in a solo experience.
Built on Pearl Abyss’ in-house engine BlackSpace, Crimson Desert is set for release in March 2026. With single-player RPGs becoming increasingly rare, fans of the genre are eager for a fresh, high-quality entry. Here’s what players can expect.
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Crimson Desert Release Date and Platforms
First things first, the release date for Crimson Desert is March 19th, 2026. This was first revealed at the Sony State of Play in September, 2025, and the hype has been building since that point. The game has had a few missed release dates. The game was due to land in 2024, before slipping to late 2025, but now, March 19th 2026, is a locked-in date.
Crimson Desert will release simultaneously on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, ensuring a next-gen experience across all platforms. Currently, there is no confirmation of a Game Pass release, unlike Black Desert, which joined the service in 2023. While a Game Pass or PlayStation Plus release in the future cannot be ruled out, for now, Crimson Desert will be a full-price release on all platforms.
Crimson Desert Pre-Order and Editions
Crimson Desert is available on all three platforms for pre-order, with standard and deluxe editions on offer across the three platforms.
The standard edition will give people the game, and if pre-ordered, will give everyone who does so a Khaled Shield. The Deluxe Edition comes in at $10 more, and gives you another shield, some horse armour and a full set of player armour. The game does not feature any sort of early access situation.
The game will also have a Collector's Edition, which comes with a diorama, a map of Pywel, a developer letter, a brooch, character cards and patches. The Collector's Edition is a retail product and is only available from a limited number of retailers and is limited in each region.
Pre-orders are available on all platforms, offering Standard and Deluxe editions.
- Standard Edition: Includes the base game. Pre-order bonuses include a Khaled Shield.
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Deluxe Edition: Costs approximately $10 more and adds an extra shield, horse armour, and a full set of player armour.
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Collector’s Edition: A premium retail edition with physical items, including a diorama, a map of Pywel, a developer letter, a brooch, character cards, and patches. This edition is limited in quantity and only available through select retailers.
Crimson Desert Story and Setting
Initially, Crimson Desert was planned as a prequel to Black Desert Online, but the project evolved into a standalone title. While it shares the same universe as Black Desert, it is neither a direct prequel nor a sequel.
The game is set in Pywel, though in the same world as Black Desert. The region is described as "From the vast plains of Akapen to the inhospitably cold lands of Kweiden, or the barren Desert, each region possesses its own unique beauty", with the region being a "vast continent of divided regions."
Players control Kliff Macduff, a mercenary caught in a time of political upheaval. The King of Demeniss, also known as the Unifier of Lands, has fallen into a coma, leaving a dangerous power vacuum. Various factions and rival leaders are vying for control, and it falls to Kliff to navigate this conflict. Players will recruit allies, manage mercenary forces, and fight for survival, all while uncovering Kliff’s personal story.
The setting is high fantasy, filled with mythical monsters, demons, and human antagonists of all kinds. Pywel is a war-torn continent, providing a rich backdrop for adventure, strategy, and combat.
Crimson Desert Gameplay
The above video gives a good example of what battles will look like even a year ago. Combo-based combat is the key to Crimson Desert, with dodges and parries making up a large part of the combat loop. Now, it will look very "soulslike", but that's probably a lazy explanation. This is an action RPG, and the combat is about what you'd expect. This is the Witcher 3, God of War, and games like that. What it isn't is Skyrim, at least from a combat perspective.
Boss fights are a big part of the game, going for a mix of the cinematic style that we've seen in God of War, while having the difficulty more akin to Elden Ring. The minute-to-minute gameplay is as you'd expect from a modern RPG in a high-fantasy setting. Some early comments said it looked a lot like Dynasty Warriors in large fights, which we can see.
Outside of combat, you'll go on quests, from killing rebel leaders to saving a lost sheep and everything in between. The developers promise that the game will feature actions that impact the story, with mercenary leaders having their own backstories.
What surprised many was that the game appeared to match its gameplay to its trailers very faithfully. This is partially why the game has built up such a massive level of hype ahead of release.
We'll have specific guides on combat classes, builds, and crafting mechanics, which dive deeper into how to optimise your character and get the most out of your mercenary forces. These guides will help you master both the battlefield and the workshop, ensuring a more strategic and personalised experience in Pywel.
We'll have a lot more content on Crimson Desert in the coming weeks before release and post-release.