Pearl Abyss showcased a new playable demo of Crimson Desert during the Summer Game Fest (SGF) in Los Angeles, offering a fresh look at the game’s story and questlines. The Summer Game Fest is North America’s biggest mid-year gaming event, welcoming journalists and content creators from around the world to see the latest industry news, running from June 7th to the 9th.
This new demo featured a questline that takes place between the early and middle parts of the game, where players must enter the midst of a battlefield to advance the main narrative. The story begins with Kliff, captain of the Greymanes, who along with his comrades falls into a trap set by enemy faction the Drunken Black Bears. After a fierce battle, the group becomes separated.
Kliff journeys across the continent of Pywel seeking his companions, eventually arriving at Calphade after hearing news of Oongka, one of his most trusted allies. However, Calphade is under siege. Cassius Morten, once a loyal officer to Calphade’s Marquis Stefan Lanford, betrayed his lord and aligned with the Drunken Black Bears in a violent rebellion. The entire region teeters on the brink of collapse.
The demo’s key highlight is the large-scale battle that throws our hero into the chaos of war. Kliff fights dozens of NPCs amid cannon fire, war cries, and environmental effects like smoke and fire in an extremely intense sequence.
The demo also features a segment of Crimson Desert’s narrative. Key characters including Oongka, Kliff’s Greymanes companion; Barder Middler, a central Calphade figure; and Cassius Morten, the traitor who deserted Calphade, all make appearances. Their stories unfold through high-quality cutscenes in cinematic sequences. Players will encounter varied combat scenarios as they progress through storyline quests. Confrontations take place across different battlefield sectors, allowing players to engage enemies with diverse gameplay approaches.
The Pywel continent itself stands out as another demo highlight. Natural landscapes and structures are rendered with intricate detail using high-quality visuals, showcasing the game’s immersive, realistic world. Dynamic lighting and weather effects shift in real time as days pass, while distant mountains and rocky cliffs on the horizon heighten the sense of immersion. All elements were built using Black Engine, Pearl Abyss’s proprietary graphics engine.
Pearl Abyss plans to bring this demo to global locations so fans eagerly awaiting Crimson Desert can experience it. The game launches in late 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series, PC via Steam, and Mac.
