Crimson Desert might be nearing its release window at long last. The game was originally announced by Pearl Abyss (the South Korean developer behind Black Desert) at G-Star 2019 alongside DokeV and PLAN 8.
At that time, Crimson Desert was meant to feature MMO elements, but Pearl Abyss later switched genre to open world action/adventure with multiplayer support, focusing far more on the narrative. However, in July 2021, the game's development encountered yet another roadblock as the team postponed it indefinitely with the following statement:
We are currently hard at work developing Crimson Desert, which is rapidly evolving with new adventures and exciting experiences. However, we have decided that we need to dedicate more time to adding new ideas for an even deeper, more enriching game. Therefore, in order to create the best possible experience, all the while ensuring the health and safety of everyone involved in delivering the game, we have decided to delay Crimson Desert's release. We will provide an updated schedule in the future.
Pearl Abyss allowed the game to re-emerge with a gameplay trailer at Gamescom 2023. Now, according to leaker Lunatic Ignus, Crimson Desert will be playable at Gamescom 2024 and its full launch is slated for early 2025. This lines up with the latest Pearl Abyss financial report, where the company said it is now time to kick off marketing.
The leaker also claimed that the Pokémon-like DokeV will be released within a year of Crimson Desert. Even PLAN 8, the exosuit MMO shooter designed by Counter-Strike's Minh Le that has been missing in action since G-Star 2019, will be released shortly after DokeV.
Needless to say, these should be considered rumors for the time being. However, we likely won't have to wait long to see them confirmed or denied. Meanwhile, stay tuned on Wccftech.
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