Crimson Desert from Pearl Abyss is nearing release, and the studio has shared new information about the launch through a recent Steam update. The open-world action RPG will go live worldwide on March 19 at 10 PM UTC, which means some regions will see the official release on March 20.
Players will be able to preload the game ahead of launch. According to the update, the preload window opens roughly 24 to 48 hours before release, beginning on March 17 or March 18, depending on the player’s region. This allows users to download the full game early and start playing once the servers unlock.
The Steam store page has also been updated to confirm the use of the anti-tamper technology from Denuvo. The DRM solution will be included in the PC version at launch. In previous releases, some PC players have raised concerns about the potential performance impact when Denuvo is present. Pearl Abyss has not shared technical details about its implementation, though the game’s hardware requirements were recently published.
In its FAQ update, the studio confirmed that the game will not support cross-platform save functionality. Players moving between different platforms will need to start a new save file. The developer also noted that while the game can be played offline after installation, an internet connection will be required on launch day to download and apply the day-one patch.
On the technical side, the PC version includes support for several modern graphics technologies. The game will support Nvidia DLSS versions 4 and 4.5, along with AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution versions 3 and 4. These technologies help improve performance and image quality on compatible hardware. Additional ray-tracing related features, including Ray Regeneration and Ray Reconstruction, are also planned for the PC release.
Console versions will include different upscaling solutions. The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro versions will feature upgraded PSSR support alongside FSR 3. On the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, the game will use FSR 3 for image scaling and performance improvements.
Pearl Abyss has not confirmed support for Steam Deck or Linux platforms. While some games using Denuvo can still run through compatibility layers on Linux, the company has not provided official details about testing or compatibility for those environments.
With the release date approaching, the latest update outlines what players can expect when Crimson Desert launches on PC and consoles next week.
