Pearl Abyss, the developers behind the MMORPG Black Desert, have introduced their major new MMORPG for the time to come. Project CD is set to be the next generation of MMORPGs. It is being developed for the new consoles, likely PS5 and Xbox Scarlett, as well as for PC and Mobile. A release is expected in a few years – Project CD is intended to be a global title.
Update November 18: We now know that Project CD is the MMORPG Crimson Desert.
News August 10: In 2017, Black Desert announced that it is developing 4 new games. Now there are details about a game that is supposed to become a next-gen MMORPG, especially targeting the western market and the consoles.
Where is this information from? Pearl Abyss has presented its quarterly figures. They are strong.
Pearl Abyss has been making a lot of money, especially with “Black Desert Mobile.” The 2nd quarter of 2019 was a comeback for profits after two weaker quarters.
During this investor call, there was a brief overview of the new projects that Pearl Abyss is working on. Here, the new MMORPG “Project CD” was mentioned for the first time.
Project CD – Crossplay, global market, next generation
What kind of new MMORPG is this? The game currently has the working title “Project CD.”
It is supposed to be an AAA title that appeals to players worldwide. Project CD is not based on the “Black Desert” brand. However, Pearl Abyss wants to leverage the experience they gained from Black Desert to develop the new project.
It is said that the game will differ significantly from traditional MMORPGs.
Pearl Abyss stated upon inquiries that they recognized the potential of consoles for the western market with Black Desert.
For Project CD, Pearl Abyss is using the new engine that they plan to use for all future “next-gen” projects. This new engine was already showcased by Pearl Abyss in March 2019. At that time, they announced “Project V,” a casual MMORPG.
The main platform for Project CD is supposed to be “console,” which likely refers to PlayStation 5 and/or Xbox Scarlett. It is possible that Project CD will first be released on consoles. However, Pearl Abyss is also considering releasing the game simultaneously on PC, mobile, and streaming services. The streaming service likely refers to Google’s Stadia.
The goal is to enable crossplay between the platforms.
This is all that Pearl Abyss reveals at the moment. The screenshots in the article are from the new engine that Pearl Abyss will be using.
When is it coming? Pearl Abyss has not yet announced a date. In 2017, when they mentioned that 4 new games were coming, one of the new games was intended for 2021. That could be a possible timeframe. Realistically, it’s likely to be later: 2022 or 2023.
Shooter, casual game, and something for EVE
What else is new from Pearl Abyss? At the financial conference, Black Desert presented its future plans:
- They plan to launch Black Desert Mobile worldwide between October and December 2019
- The battle royale mode “Shadow Arena” detached from Black Desert will be released as a spin-off
- There is also something new planned for the “EVE Online” brand. With the new engine, up to 10,000 players can battle in “Ether Wars.” Pearl Abyss acquired the EVE studio CCP in September 2019
- There were no new updates regarding the new online shooter Project K, which is also being developed with the new engine
At the moment, many of the information is only available in Korean (via inven), but surely there will be more news and current images about Project CD in the future as Pearl Abyss tailors the MMORPG to us Westerners. We will keep following the topic on MeinMMO.
