The Crimson Desert release time on March 19 is very soon, with pre-loading now being live too so you can get the colossal RPG loaded onto your system for launch. Pre-loading is available for PS5, Xbox Series X and PC, but you obviously need to have pre-ordered Crimson Desert first. Otherwise, it's just a matter of waiting for the release time on March 19 – or March 20 depending on where in the world you are. Here's when Crimson Desert launches in the US, UK, and more.
What time does Crimson Desert release?
Crimson Desert releases globally at 10PM UTC on March 19 on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. That works out as the following release times for time zones around the world:
- US Pacific: 3PM PDT on March 19
- US Eastern: 6PM EDT on March 19
- UK: 10PM GMT on March 19
- Central Europe: 11PM CET on March 19
- South Korea and Japan: 7AM KST/JST on March 20
- Eastern Australia: 9AM AEDT on March 20
- New Zealand: 11AM NZDT on March 20
A global simultaneous release for Crimson Desert means there are no chances to use things like the trusty New Zealand system clock change trick to try and play as early as possible, and you'll just have to be patient.
How to pre-load Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert pre-downloading is available right now on all platforms, letting you get the game ready ahead of launch day, but only if you've pre-ordered it. Check the platform storefront you pre-ordered from, such as the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, or Steam, and you should be able to begin installing from there – just make sure you've got plenty of storage space, with Steam recommending having 150GB free.
In the case of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, you may need to find Crimson Desert in your game library ('My Games and Apps' on Xbox) and begin installing from there instead. And remember that unlike Black Desert Online, Crimson Desert is not multiplayer, so you won't be able to play with your friends who might also be pre-loading Crimson Desert.
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