Publisher PLAION has announced partnership with Pearl Abyss for the launch of Crimson Desert. As part of this partnership, PLAION will be responsible for the global publishing of the upcoming title, for both digital as well as physical copies.
While this partnership has been announced, no other details about the physical release of Crimson Desert have been revealed aside from just confirming that it is going to happen. There are also no details about whether the physical release will also include a Deluxe Edition or Collector’s Edition.
Crimson Desert is an action RPG that, while announced quite some time ago, has also seen several delays. The title takes place in the world of Pywel, with players taking on the role of the leader of the Greymanes, Kliff. The Greymanes are a battle-hardened band of mercenaries that must fight to save the lands of Pywell. Gameplay in Crimson Desert will revolve around epic battles against awesome monsters, as well as getting your hands on new gear and other pieces of loot.
“PLAION is already proving to be a strong partner for Pearl Abyss as we continue to grow in overseas markets,” said Pearl Abyss CBO Kevin Kim in the announcement press release. “Partnering with PLAION with their global footprint will allow us to bring Crimson Desert to even more fans around the world. We are pleased to partner with a physical game distributor that shares our ambitious vision of an adventure set in the beautiful yet brutal continent of Pywel.”
In a statement, CEO of PLAION Partners Craig McNicol spoke about wanting to leverage the publisher’s strength in the Asia Pacific region to further help get Crimson Desert in front of as large an audience as possible.
“We are proud to work with Pearl Abyss to bring Crimson Desert to players across the globe,” said McNicol. “Our global footprint and experienced territory teams will bring fans the incredible experience of Crimson Desert. This collaboration is a testament to PLAION’s growing commitment to and strength in the Asia Pacific region and highlights our ongoing mission to become a global force in videogame publishing.”
Crimson Desert was originally slated for release in 2025. However, Pearl Abyss announced earlier this month that the title would instead be getting pushed back to Q1 2026 release. The studio noted that the delay came about because of “longer-than-expected timelines arising from schedule coordination and collaborations with multiple partners for offline distribution, voice-overs, console certification, and other launch preparations.”
“We sincerely apologize for not being able to meet the originally promised fourth quarter launch schedule,” said the studio when it announced the delay. “Please kindly understand that this is a strategic decision aimed at ensuring success on a meaningful scale.”
More recently, Crimson Desert got a video showcasing 13 minutes of the upcoming title’s gameplay. The video featured players making use of cannons to take down enemy watchtowers, as well as making use of a variety of weapons and abilities to tear through groups of enemies.
Crimson Desert is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.