Although Crimson Desert is undeniably one of the most exciting new games underway right now, we worryingly haven't gotten to see too much of it – but a recent video from PlayStation Japan of the big RPG running on PS5 might just settle any concerns.
Just two weeks ago, Pearl Abyss PR and marketing director Will Powers sought to ease fears about the lack of public Crimson Desert footage, telling fans the studio is "not hiding anything" and asking them to "let us cook."
Unsurprisingly, though, the community is still hungry for more ahead of the game's March 19 release – after all, titles like Cyberpunk 2077 were infamously hyped pre-release only to disappoint upon arrival.
Heck, CD Projekt Red was even offering refunds to frustrated players back in 2020 – so it makes sense that Crimson Desert hopefuls want more gameplay.
Well, they've now got it thanks to a new 20-minute video from PlayStation Japan. It showcases combat, exploration, platforming puzzles, and just about everything you'd want to see bar spoilers before a game's launch, all on the PS5… and reactions are a bit of a mixed bag so far.
Folks are pointing out that the clip is running at a crisp, uh, 30 frames per second, with a resolution of 1080p – not the best in 2026, to say the least. "1080p on YouTube is like adding a Vaseline filter to your video," reads one amusing comment.
Another reply points out, "Yeah, it's so hard to actually see quality at this resolution. Not to mention how one of the big concerns is frame drops, and this is not going to show that."
Yeah, it’s so hard to actually see quality at this resolution. Not to mention how one of the big concerns is frame drops and this is not going to show that. I think people should probably just wait unless they have a high-end PC or PS5 proMarch 17, 2026
It's not all doom and gloom, though. Plenty of people are thrilled we've got an actual look at the game in action on console, with one Reddit thread showing as much. "Oooh looks great," writes one fan. "Looks good to me, will probably buy it on the day or after," adds another.
Elsewhere in the responses, somebody shares their excitement over 20 whole minutes of real footage: "Damn, a full 20 minutes is awesome."
It seems that Crimson Desert has won some people over, but still has others to convince – an understandable position to be in as a game that hasn't even released yet, if you ask me. On the bright side, there's not long left to wait until we can all dive in ourselves.
