If players are going to dunk on Cyberpunk 2077, it was only a matter of time before other game studios did it too. Black Desert Online creator, South Korea’s Pearl Abyss, has announced a delay of their forthcoming open-world game Crimson Desert, throwing shade on CDPR’s disastrous 2020 launch in the process.
Pearl Abyss is making it clear they’ve no intention to allow their game to come out unfinished. The studio (and publisher) is best known for Black Desert Online, which features a truly cool character creation system. Crimson Desert was originally supposed to be a Black Desert prequel, but has since been recalibrated as a standalone title. The game seemed to be originally pitched as “an epic fantasy open world MMORPG”, but the studio now says it’s not an MMO.
Announced in fall 2019, the game was supposed to be out this winter. In July, however, Pearl Abyss announced the game’s delay, explaining that the studio needed more time to add more ideas to the game for a deeper experience. “Therefore, in order to create the best possible experience, all the while ensuring the health and safety of everyone involved in delivering the game, we have decided to delay Crimson Desert’s release,” wrote the studio. “We will provide an updated schedule in the future.”
According to Game Insight, Pearl Abyss’s Chief Financial Officer Suk Woo Cho recently discussed the game’s delay when talking about the studio’s financial report. “Lowering the quality to meet the deadline just like the recent Cyberpunk 2077 doesn’t align with Pearl Abyss’s development goals,” said Suk (as translated by tipster Sang). “We are working hard to make Red Crimson with AAA game quality and depth.”
Ouch! While that might be true, it shows how quickly Cyberpunk 2077 has become shorthand for a rushed game that underdelivers and doesn’t live up to its promises. No matter how good the game may get, the whole underwhelming launch debacle will continue to be a punchline or a meme for years to come. We’ll have to wait and see if Crimson Desert can avoid the same fate.