Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Gamescom Schedule
  • Future Games Show
  • Countdown to GTA 6
  • Pre-order GTA 6
  • Game of the Week
  • G+RLS Podcast
  • Join our RPG Club
  • Best gaming tech
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Open World Games
  3. Crimson Desert

Crimson Desert updates are slowing down in "scope, scale, and pace" as Pearl Abyss shifts focus to the DLC

News
By Dustin Bailey
Published 26 August 2026

"I think this is a great transition point"

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Crimson Desert protagonist Kliff
(Image credit: Pearl Abyss)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

One of the odder surprises from Gamescom Opening Night Live was the reveal of Crimson Desert Enhanced. It partly encompasses a brand-new 2.0 update adding substantially more depth to the game's story, but it's a soft rebrand that marks the culmination of all the work developer Pearl Abyss has done to improve Crimson Desert since launch. Those free updates are now slowing down so that the studio can shift its focus to the upcoming DLC.

"I think this is a great transition point," PR and marketing director Will Powers explains in an interview with IGN. "We've had this great pace of updates continually expanding the world of Pywell. With 2.0, this is all very purposeful in how we name stuff. This is very much a fully realized experience within the world."

Powers explains that "while there still will be updates, I don't think the scope, scale, and pace of them will be as consistent past this point. What we're taking this opportunity to do is shift our development resources from these regular updates to focus on the upcoming DLC."

Latest Videos FromGamesRadar+
Watch full video here:
Crimson Desert Dev Breaks Down Everything New in the 2.0 Update | gamescom 2026 - YouTube Crimson Desert Dev Breaks Down Everything New in the 2.0 Update | gamescom 2026 - YouTube
Watch On

That big Crimson Desert DLC is still set to launch later this year, and after the main game's wild success Pearl Abyss has plenty more plans for further expansion of the budding franchise. We don't have any concrete details on what that DLC will look like or what those follow-ups will actually be, but after five months of expansive updates and massive unit sales, I think Crimson Desert has already more than proven itself.

Crimson Desert did so well that developer Pearl Abyss reported 94% increased labor expenses due to "performance bonus payments" made to 1,035 employees.

You may like
  • Crimson Desert Crimson Desert DLC "will be substantively different" to the main game, Pearl Abyss PR lead teases
  • Crimson Desert Crimson Desert DLC in the works, but Pearl Abyss also has its sights on story improvements and more
  • Kliff from Crimson Desert asleep. Crimson Desert DLC is coming "this year" as part of "various follow-up strategies" at Pearl Abyss
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PS5 Xbox Series X PC Gaming Platforms PlayStation Xbox
Dustin Bailey
Dustin Bailey
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Crimson Desert
Open World Games Crimson Desert DLC "will be substantively different" to the main game, Pearl Abyss PR lead teases
 
 
Crimson Desert
Open World Games Crimson Desert DLC in the works, but Pearl Abyss also has its sights on story improvements and more
 
 
Kliff from Crimson Desert asleep.
Open World Games Crimson Desert DLC is coming "this year" as part of "various follow-up strategies" at Pearl Abyss
 
 
Crimson Desert
Open World Games Crimson Desert's free updates will continue "as long as there's demand," says Pearl Abyss lead
 
 
Kliff smolders into the camera
Open World Games "Crimson Desert is not a one-off title": Pearl Abyss is open to "sequel titles," and even more DLC
 
 
Crimson Desert
Open World Games Crimson Desert is already getting an Enhanced edition with "new story moments" and new language options
 
 
Latest in Open World Games
Crimson Desert
Open World Games Crimson Desert feels "like a different game" after the Enhanced update, fans say
 
 
Warlock Tasha
Open World Games Baldur's Gate 3 is "a great game," but Warlock devs say their D&D experience is "very different"
 
 
Warlock
Open World Games Warlock, the next big D&D game after Baldur's Gate 3, just showed off nearly 10 minutes of gameplay
 
 
Ananta
Open World Games Ananta release date places the free-to-play anime take on GTA in January 2027, 2 months after GTA 6
 
 
Crimson Desert
Open World Games Crimson Desert is already getting an Enhanced edition with "new story moments" and new language options
 
 
Genshin Impact ruler of death
Open World Games Genshin Impact players do JRPGs proud by fighting gods with guns they stole
 
 
Latest in News
Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) staring down Superman (David Corenswet)
DC Movies James Gunn marks end of filming Man of Tomorrow with behind-the-scenes photo of Lex Luthor
 
 
Nodusfall female valkyrie warrior
Action RPGs Genshin Impact was called a Breath of the Wild ripoff, Nodusfall is accused of copying FromSoftware
 
 
Geralt with a bloody lip lies on the ground
The Witcher The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past expansion doesn't have to make the RPG "feel different"
 
 
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 dialogue
Action RPGs Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 fan hikes Czechia "on foot" to make 3D maps of real-life Kuttenberg
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 brings back a fan-favorite San Andreas feature: you'll get chubby if you eat a lot
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto For GTA 6, Rockstar has more than doubled in size since Red Dead Redemption 2
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. The FGS Live from Gamescom logo
    1
    Everything announced at FGS Live From Gamescom 2026
  2. 2
    Afterworld is a brand-new grand strategy game from the Crusader Kings III devs that lets you duke it out with immortal warlords in a post-apocalyptic USA
  3. 3
    Skybound survival game Aloft details its final early access update before 1.0
  4. 4
    Cosy space sim Young Suns hits 1.0 on Xbox and launches on Steam later this year
  5. 5
    Vikings Dynasty gets its first gameplay trailer giving you a good sense of what it's going to be like becoming a Viking Jarl

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...