The gamescom 2024 is coming, and one game that MMORPG fans will pay special attention to, even though it doesn’t want to be an MMORPG at all, is Crimson Desert. It describes itself as an “open-world action adventure,” but it is the unofficial successor to Black Desert, and the company behind it, Pearl Abyss, is currently a major rising star in the MMORPG market. The game’s release is planned for PC, PS5, and Xbox.
Here’s what we will be able to play at gamescom 2024: Pearl Abyss has announced that it will be possible to play their new game Crimson Desert in a demo version at gamescom:
This year’s Crimson Desert demo showcases intense action combat mechanics featuring Kliff as the player character. The demo starts on a wild battlefield with the Greymane mercenaries, allowing players to familiarize themselves with the basics of attacking, blocking, dodging, and special abilities while facing hordes of enemies. Seamless cutscenes between fights provide insight into the story of Kliff and his fellow mercenaries.
The demo is expected to be playable in Cologne in Hall 6 between August 21 and August 25, 2024.
The demo is supposed to last half an hour – in addition to the demo, Pearl Abyss will also show an hour of gameplay footage for Crimson Desert. Another demo is set to be released in November, according to the transcript of a Pearl Abyss earning call (via reddit).
The Mysterious Crimson Desert and What We Know So Far
What kind of game is this? Crimson Desert is Pearl Abyss’s “next-gen flagship,” aimed at establishing a new engine.
A release is planned for the second quarter of 2025, with simultaneous launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
Crimson Desert was originally intended as a prequel to Black Desert, but the focus shifted more towards a single-player direction. Players will control Macduff, a mercenary leading his group. It could be that Pearl Abyss has renamed Macduff to “Kiff”. The name first appears in the demo description.
What we know so far about the game sounds like Red Dead Redemption 2: One will likely play a single-player campaign and lead the fates of a group of mercenaries. The endgame may then pivot towards something MMO-like akin to Red Dead Online or GTA Online.
But none of this is fully confirmed – Pearl Abyss has been silent on Crimson Desert for a long time. Hopefully, we’ll learn more at gamescom.
Release for PC and Consoles Simultaneously
What does Pearl Abyss say about Crimson Desert? Pearl Abyss held an earnings call a few days ago, and information was shared via reddit:
- Crimson Desert is in the final stages of development
- In the second half of 2024, Pearl Abyss plans to start its marketing push. Advertising for Crimson Desert will begin with gamescom – a release is also expected to be announced soon.
- They aim to carry out their release as early as possible and launch simultaneously on PC and consoles.
Why is this important? Pearl Abyss is the big winner among MMORPG companies over the past decade. They have done a lot right with Black Desert, taking the lead in the market by releasing their MMORPG on consoles. Typically, South Korean MMORPGs are only released for PC and Mobile.
With their funds, Pearl Abyss has also acquired MMORPG veterans from EVE Online.
Pearl Abyss is regarded as a company that develops MMORPGs sustainably and innovatively, focusing on technological advancements – plus they have a lot of money.
If significant advancements in the “MMO” and “MMORPGs” genres are expected in the coming years, Pearl Abyss is a strong candidate for that. If you want an overview of which new MMORPGs with high potential you can look forward to, we recommend this article: The 5 Most Promising New MMORPGs for 2024 and Beyond
