Pearl Abyss Crimson Desert DLC Roadmap: 2026 & Switch 2

Pearl Abyss has outlined what’s next for Crimson Desert, with its first major DLC already in active development and slated to arrive sometime in 2026. The studio is also working toward additional platform support, including a planned release for Nintendo Switch 2 in the first half of 2027, and it’s exploring whether a multiplayer expansion could be feasible.

Quick facts

First DLC: in development now, planned for 2026 release
DLC details: price, scope, and release timing to be shared in Q3 2026
Switch 2 version: targeted for the first half of 2027
Switch 2 status: runs on a “playable technical foundation,” with performance and quality checks ongoing
Multiplayer: under technical and gameplay investigation; no announcement yet

The first DLC for Crimson Desert is part of Pearl Abyss’s longer-term plan for the brand. The company wants the expansion to deliver a new player experience and help extend the game’s lifespan and long-term revenue picture.

At the moment, Pearl Abyss hasn’t locked in how many DLCs will follow, nor how frequently additional expansions would come out. The studio says future decisions will be driven by multiple signals, including player feedback, Crimson Desert sales trends, available development capacity, and the company’s broader project scheduling.

More platforms, not just ports

Beyond DLC, Pearl Abyss is also expanding platform support with a focus that goes beyond simple re-releases. The goal is to preserve the game’s characteristic visuals, its action-heavy combat, and its open-world structure on additional hardware.

Switch 2 is the most concrete part of the plan so far. Pearl Abyss states that Crimson Desert already runs on a playable technical basis there, and additional technical reviews are underway—especially around performance and meeting targeted quality standards.

Switch 2 release window: first half of 2027

For the Nintendo Switch 2 version, Pearl Abyss is currently targeting a launch in the first half of 2027. The studio has not provided a specific day or month yet.

Pearl Abyss also emphasizes that the Switch 2 edition should not be a stripped-down variant. Instead, it intends to carry over the key pillars of Crimson Desert, including its signature graphics, action-focused combat system, and open-world gameplay.

Multiplayer expansion under investigation

On top of DLC and platform expansion, Pearl Abyss is evaluating the possibility of adding multiplayer to Crimson Desert. The studio points to the game’s dynamic combat system and its large open world as areas where multiplayer content could make sense.

However, Pearl Abyss notes that a multiplayer expansion would be more complex than merely adding another mode. The company is assessing technical and gameplay requirements such as server architecture, balance considerations, and cross-platform stability. It is also looking at potential live-service approaches as part of the feasibility work.

No multiplayer announcement has been made yet, and the project remains in the technical and gameplay verification phase.

Financial update: Q2 2026 sales and revenue

Alongside the roadmap, Pearl Abyss also reported figures tied to Crimson Desert for the second quarter of 2026. The game sold about 2.11 million copies during Q2, with 1.72 million sold digitally (about 82%) and 0.39 million sold physically (about 18%).

Revenue for Q2 2026 was 136.1 billion KRW, and Crimson Desert accounted for 71.2% of Pearl Abyss’s total revenue in that quarter.

Sales and revenue snapshot (Crimson Desert)

Q2 2026 unit sales: ~2.11M
Digital share: 1.72M (~82%)
Physical share: 0.39M (~18%)
Q2 2026 revenue: 136.1B KRW
Share of company revenue: 71.2%

Pearl Abyss also highlighted that Q2 revenue was significantly lower than Q1, describing the drop as primarily due to the fading of the immediate launch effect. Q1 2026 revenue was 266.5 billion KRW, followed by 136.1 billion KRW in Q2 — a 48.9% quarter-over-quarter decline.

The reported average selling price (ASP) for Q2 2026 was about 63,000 KRW, down from about 74,000 KRW in Q1. Pearl Abyss attributed the ASP movement to factors including differing regional pricing strategies, changes in distribution channel mix, a higher share of certain channels, and the evolving ratio between digital and physical sales.

On the accounting side, physical sales are not fully recognized as revenue immediately. Pearl Abyss says there can be a delay between sell-through and actual revenue booking due to reconciliation processes with distributors and retailers. It also reports that 20% of certain settlement amounts were held back as a refund guarantee, with the delayed revenue expected to be recognized gradually during the second half of the year.

Finally, Pearl Abyss revised its 2026 revenue outlook for Crimson Desert downward to a range of 468.9–497.3 billion KRW, compared with the prior forecast of 644.1–734.8 billion KRW.