A fresh look at Crimson Desert has arrived, with Pearl Abyss releasing more than 13 minutes of new gameplay footage. The extended demo dives into several core elements of the highly anticipated open-world RPG — from combat and questing to large-scale battles and world exploration.
Originally pitched as a prequel to Black Desert Online, the project eventually shifted into a standalone single-player title set in the same universe. Development began back in 2019, but the game has faced multiple delays, with the most recent update moving its launch window to early 2026.
The new gameplay preview, which will also be featured at Gamescom 2025 and PAX West, introduces players to the character Greymane Kliff as he enters the war-torn land of Calphade. Here, a rebellion led by Cassius Morten has plunged the region into chaos. The demo highlights a variety of quests, including cannon assaults and demolition missions, set against the backdrop of this civil conflict.
Combat is shaping up to be one of Crimson Desert’s most versatile features. Kliff can fluidly switch between melee weapons, powerful elemental magic, and unique abilities such as Artillery Whistling Arrows and the Axiom Bracelet. The footage showcases two boss encounters: one against a towering Black Bear faction fighter, and another climactic showdown with Morten himself. The latter fight demonstrates the game’s environmental interactivity, as Kliff is able to weaponize fallen pillars to gain the upper hand.
Beyond the battles, the demo also gives a glimpse of how players will traverse Crimson Desert’s vast world. Kliff can cover terrain quickly on horseback or glide through the air using the Crow’s Wing ability, both of which can also be incorporated into combat. The open-world design and traversal systems have drawn comparisons to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, suggesting that exploration will play just as big a role as fighting.
While the official release date remains unconfirmed, Crimson Desert is slated for launch in Q1 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (Windows and macOS). Interestingly, rumors suggest that a Nintendo Switch 2 version could also be in development, according to a recent GameStop leak.
