Crimson Desert: Release date, launch time, pre-order bonuses and more

The week is here at last – Crimson Desert releases later this week!

The prequel to Pearl Abyss's hit MMO Black Desert Online has been highly anticipated, with some of the clips coming out of this game making it seem almost too good to be true.

Part of that is the decision to forego the ever-controversial Unreal Engine 5 for the in-house BlackSpace Engine, which looks absolutely incredible.

If you're as excited for this game as we are, here's what you need to know about the Crimson Desert release date, launch times, pre-orders, bonuses and more. You can also have a read of our Crimson Desert review!

Crimson Desert release date and launch time

Crimson Desert releases on 19 March 2026 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S at 10pm GMT.

For those of you around the world, here's what time Crimson Desert launches in your time zone:

• US West Coast (PDT) – 3pm
• US Mountain (MDT) – 4pm
• US Central (CDT) – 5pm
• US East Coast (PDT) – 6pm
• Brazil (BRT) – 7pm
• Central Europe (CET) – 11pm
• Turkey (TRT) – 1am, 20 March
• UAE (GST) – 2am, 20 March
• Singapore (SGT) – 6am, 20 March
• South Korea (KST) – 7am, 20 March
• Japan (JST) – 7am, 20 March
• Australia East Coast (AEDT) – 9am, 20 March
• New Zealand (NZDT) – 11am, 20 March

The game's release date was revealed during last September's Sony State of Play as part of a new trailer.

The game was initially scheduled to release in 2024. This was then pushed back, with a trailer at The Game Awards 2024 seemingly confirming a late-2025 release.

Of course, we now know that the game was further delayed, so here's hoping that 19 March is the definitive release date.

Can I pre-order Crimson Desert?

You can pre-order digital versions of the game directly from their respective storefronts:

• Steam
• PlayStation
• Xbox

If you're after a physical version, then you can pre-order Crimson Desert from select retailers:

UK

• Amazon – £49.99
• Smyths – £49.99

US

• Amazon – $69.99
• Best Buy – $69.99
• GameStop – $69.99
• Walmart – $69.99
• Target – $69.99

Crimson Desert pre-order bonuses

Everyone who pre-orders Crimson Desert will get a free Khaled Shield item in-game, regardless of what platform they're playing on.

Beyond that, anyone who pre-orders the game on PlayStation will get the Grotevant Plate armour set, including the following items:

• Grotevant Plate Helm
• Grotevant Plate Armour
• Grotevant Cloak
• Grotevant Gloves
• Grotevant Boots

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there are any extra pre-order bonuses for PC and Xbox players – sorry!

Which consoles and platforms can play Crimson Desert?

Crimson Desert is releasing on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

It was originally meant to release on PS4 and Xbox One, but following a couple of delays, it's moved onto current gen consoles only.

We also don't know if a Switch 2 version is on the books, but if it sells well enough, who knows?

Crimson Desert gameplay and story details

Much like its spiritual predecessor, Crimson Desert is an open-world fantasy RPG. You can explore it on foot or horseback, and you'll have the option to complete quests, fish, chop trees and – we're delighted to say – pet plenty of dogs.

The combat looks to be a satisfying combo, block and parry affair, with a variety of interesting enemies (including ones you can climb, à la Shadow of the Colossus).

As for the story, we don't know much about that from the trailer. All we know is the game is set in the same universe as Black Desert Online, and we take control of protagonist Macduff as he fights against the forces of evil and confronts his past.

Is there a Crimson Desert trailer?

There is a trailer, and it's pretty awesome. Check it out below, in all its dog-petting glory:

In late 2025, we got a release date trailer showing off even more of the game:

And last, but not least, January 2026 gave us a huge, 15-minute showcase of the game's gameplay and open world features:

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