Crimson Desert Has a Release Date, at Long Last; Recommended Requirements Have Been Reduced

South Korean developer Pearl Abyss has finally confirmed the launch date for its highly anticipated open world action/adventure game, Crimson Desert. The game will release worldwide on March 19, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X.

Pre-orders are now live across all platforms. The Standard Edition is priced at $69.99, while the Digital Deluxe Edition costs $79.99 and includes the following in-game extras:

• Digital Deluxe Edition $79.99

  • Kairos Plate Helm

  • Kairos Plate Gloves

  • Kairos Plate Boots

  • Kairos Cloak

  • Kairos Plate Armor

  • Balgran Shield

  • Exclaire Champron

  • Exclaire Barding

  • Exclaire Saddle

  • Exclaire Stirrups

• physical Deluxe Edition $89.99

  • Deluxe Edition Limited SteelBook

  • Map of Pywel

  • Letter from the Developer

  • Greymane Brooch Pin

  • 3 Character Photo Cards

  • 3 Patches

• Collector’s Edition priced at $279.99

  • A stunnin

  • g 17” Diorama

  • A digital Ultimate Pack with the Tormented Soul Bow, Derictus Spear, Sielos Longsword, Shroud Lantern, and Hyperion Horse Tack Set

All pre-orders also come with the Khaled Shield, while PS5 players will additionally receive the exclusive Grotevant Plate Set.

With pre-orders opening, Pearl Abyss also revised the PC system requirements. The minimum specs remain unchanged, but the recommended requirements have been significantly reduced compared to earlier listings, a positive sign of successful optimization.

Previously, the recommended specs were listed as requiring a Ryzen 7 7700X / Intel Core i7-13700K CPU and RTX 4070 SUPER / RX 7800 XT GPU. These have now been lowered to:

• CPU: Ryzen 5 5600 / Intel Core i5-11600K

• GPU: RTX 2080 / RX 6700 XT

Additionally, the Steam page now provides macOS requirements:

• Minimum:

  • Requires an Apple processor

  • OS: macOS 15

  • Processor: Apple M1

  • Memory: 16 GB RAM

  • Graphics: M1

  • Storage: 135 GB available space

• Recommended:

  • Requires an Apple processor

  • OS: macOS 26

  • Processor: Apple M4 Pro

  • Memory: 16 GB RAM

  • Graphics: M3 Pro

  • Storage: 150 GB available space

Crimson Desert has had a long and winding road to release. Originally revealed at G-Star 2019 with a Winter 2021 launch window, the project was delayed indefinitely. Initially planned as an MMORPG with MMO-style elements, the game was eventually reworked into a single-player action/adventure experience. This shift inevitably extended development but also raised expectations that Pearl Abyss is preparing something truly special.

With the release date finally locked in, the wait for one of the most ambitious Korean-developed action titles is nearly over. Whether the long development and major design changes prove worthwhile will soon be revealed when Crimson Desert launches in March 2026.

Are you planning to pre-order Crimson Desert, or will you wait to see early reviews first?