Crimson Desert Developer 'Tired' of Constantly Defending Console Footage Absence, Amid Fears of 'Another Cyberpunk-Style Launch'

Will Powers, the western spokesperson for Crimson Desert, has publicly addressed accusations that developer and publisher Pearl Abyss is intentionally 'hiding' console footage of the highly anticipated open-world action adventure game. He assured fans that reveals are planned before the game's release date.

Pearl Abyss has not yet disclosed base performance details for Crimson Desert on consoles, leaving PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S owners uncertain about how it will run on their systems. With the memory of Cyberpunk 2077's troubled launch still vivid, and the backlash CD Projekt faced for not showcasing the game on last-gen consoles pre-release, some gamers are worried Crimson Desert might face similar performance issues on PlayStation and Xbox. This has led to calls for clarity on performance targets before pre-ordering.

Powers has taken a proactive stance, engaging on social media and Reddit to counter skeptics. Responding to an X/Twitter user who claimed Pearl Abyss was 'still hiding all console footage,' Powers stated: 'We're not hiding anything, and I'm tired of repeating myself. I've said countless times we'll share information ahead of launch to give people enough time to pre-order. We're being open about this... Let us work on it? Please and thank you. /rant'

Later, in a Reddit discussion about his tweet, Powers clarified: 'People deserve information to make informed purchases. That's transparency, and we promise to provide it. But demanding details on their own schedule is entitlement, and that needs to stop.'

The Reddit thread reflects a mix of genuine concern and excitement, with some users explaining their worries about console performance and others urging patience. One commenter noted: 'I get it's frustrating to respond to all the requests for console footage, but we've seen this before with Cyberpunk 2077, where they withheld it until the last minute and players discovered it was a mess. It's not entitlement—it's caution and passion. We're all eager fans. Asking for a few minutes of console footage isn't too much, especially with the game just two weeks from launch.'

While the Cyberpunk situation differed—it launched on both last-gen and current-gen consoles, whereas Crimson Desert is only for PC and current-gen—the fallout from that game continues to influence discussions. CD Projekt's public apology for not showing base PS4 and Xbox One versions before release still resonates over five years later.

One user explained their hesitation: 'I haven't pre-ordered yet because I haven't seen it run on a base PlayStation console. You only show it on PlayStation Pro and PC, but not consoles. We remember what happened with Cyberpunk on consoles.'

Others questioned the timing: 'From a consumer's perspective, how close to release is it reasonable to reveal console footage? The game is out in about two weeks, and we've seen little of console performance. It's fair to want answers before buying.'

Supporters added: 'Thanks for addressing this. You seem confident it won't be another Cyberpunk console launch, so let's trust that. It's understandable people get nervous when devs only show one platform for a multi-platform release. If it were a disaster, it would damage trust completely.'

A potential fan remarked: 'As soon as I see PS5 runs the game well, I'll buy it. I'm sold on everything except performance.'

Last month, Powers mentioned that Pearl Abyss developers are intensifying the 'optimization phase' to ensure smooth performance across all platforms before Crimson Desert's launch. The game is set for release on March 19, priced at $69.99. Pearl Abyss recently confirmed it will not include a cosmetic cash shop or any microtransactions.