Pearl Abyss has announced a delay to its upcoming open-world RPG Crimson Desert, which will now launch in the first quarter of 2026.

The South Korean developer shared the decision during an earnings call for its second quarter results (via Gematsu).

The game was originally scheduled to release during the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year.

“This is due to longer than expected timelines arising from schedule coordination and collaborations with multiple partners for offline distribution, voice-overs, console certification, and other launch preparations,” said Pearl Abyss.

It added that this was “a strategic decision aimed at ensuring success on a meaningful scale.”

While it has confirmed a new release window, it has not shared a specific date.

“Given the change in launch timing, we will announce the date at a more appropriate time based on business considerations, rather than making an announcement at Gamescom next week.”

GamesIndustry.biz spoke to former Pearl Abyss America CEO Jeonghee “JJ” Jin in 2023 about the development of Crimson Desert.