Crimson Desert remains one of the biggest success stories of 2026 so far, a new IP putting up huge sales and high user scores in the hard-to-crack fantasy genre. Now, developer Pearl Abyss is talking about its big plans for Crimson Desert, which extend far beyond what we’ve seen so far.
In a press release, Pearl Abyss t recaps that Crimson Desert has had 17 major updates since its release on March 19. It also notes correctly that it has finished things like months-long roadmaps in a matter of weeks, the development team one of the speediest in the business.
Pearl Abyss has also confirmed that the game’s first true DLC will be here in 2026, which is imminent, given that we’re already in mid-August, and we only have ~3 months until 2027 (plus, even Crimson Desert will probably avoid GTA VI’s release date). We did not get any details about what this DLC may contain, but given what the free updates have brought, it is likely to be substantive.
There is also confirmation that a Switch 2 version is coming, and that is targeted for a first-half of 2027 release. Perhaps the most significant news, however, is that Pearl Abyss is treating Crimson Desert as a huge new IP, and that includes expanding the game into multiplayer, an interesting addition, given how highly praised it was for its expansive single-player experience. But Pearl Abyss says that is harder than it looks:
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“Given Crimson Desert’s dynamic action combat and expansive open-world structure, there is significant potential for expansion into multiplayer modes,” Pearl Abyss remarked. “However, integrating multiplayer functionality is far more complex than simply adding a new game mode; it represents a major technical initiative that requires comprehensive evaluation of server architecture, game balance, cross-platform stability, and live service operation models.”
“Accordingly, we are currently conducting extensive research from both technical and gameplay perspectives. Our overarching goal is to extend how users engage with the Crimson Desert IP over the long term, and we will share further details through our official channels as our plans materialise.”
I’ve already seen some headlines talk about Crimson Desert trying to become a “ive service, given one of the lines in there, but I believe that’s a misinterpretation. It’s just talking about how its live updates are implemented, such as the 17 they’ve added before, for instance. No, I do not think we are getting seasons, battle passes and a cash shop in Crimson Desert here.
It is full steam ahead for Pearl Abyss and Crimson Desert. Chatter about the game may have faded somewhat recently, but that’s about to change with new DLC and whatever else may be planned.
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