Overview
Version 1.01.02 was released on March 30, 2026, the same day as Patch 1.01.01. Developed by Pearl Abyss, this hotfix specifically targets graphics rendering issues on the Steam (PC) platform. Unlike the preceding hotfixes, which addressed gameplay bugs across all platforms, Patch 1.01.02 is a Steam-exclusive update focused entirely on visual quality improvements related to NVIDIA upscaling and ray tracing technologies.
The patch was prepared to fix issues that were specific to Steam. Pearl Abyss stated that they would continue to investigate related graphics issues going forward. The internal build version for this patch has not been publicly disclosed.
Platform Availability
Platform | Version | Status |
|---|---|---|
Steam (PC) | 1.01.02 | Available (March 30, 2026 at 10:05 UTC) |
Steam (Mac) | Not applicable | Not included in this hotfix |
PlayStation 5 | Not applicable | Not included in this hotfix |
Xbox Series X|S | Not applicable | Not included in this hotfix |
Epic Games Store | Not applicable | Not included in this hotfix |
Mac App Store | Not applicable | Not included in this hotfix |
Graphics Improvements
The primary focus of Patch 1.01.02 is improving graphics quality when using NVIDIA Ray Reconstruction and DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling). Pearl Abyss described these improvements as partial, indicating that further refinement is planned for future updates.
The following specific visual issues were addressed:
Issue | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
Screen blurriness | The screen appeared blurry in certain environments when NVIDIA Ray Reconstruction and DLSS were active. This was particularly noticeable in outdoor scenes with complex lighting. | Improved |
Sky and cloud flickering | Flickering artifacts appeared at the boundary where the sky meets cloud geometry. The flickering was most visible during dawn and dusk transitions when looking toward the horizon. | Fixed |
Chimney smoke overlap | Flickering occurred when chimney smoke particle effects overlapped with nearby objects such as rooftops, walls, and other environmental geometry. The rendering conflict caused visible popping and z-fighting. | Fixed |
Technical Context
NVIDIA Ray Reconstruction is a feature introduced with DLSS 3.5 that uses AI to generate higher-quality ray-traced pixels, replacing traditional hand-tuned denoisers. In Crimson Desert, this technology is used to enhance the quality of global illumination, reflections, and ambient occlusion. The issues addressed in this patch were caused by interactions between the AI denoiser and specific environmental rendering conditions, such as translucent particle effects (smoke) near opaque surfaces and atmospheric scattering at horizon boundaries.
Players who do not use NVIDIA Ray Reconstruction or DLSS were unaffected by these issues and do not need to apply any configuration changes after this patch. The improvements apply automatically when Ray Reconstruction is enabled in the graphics settings.
Remaining Known Issues
While Patch 1.01.02 improved several NVIDIA-related graphics problems, Pearl Abyss acknowledged that additional issues remain. The following graphics-related known issues were listed as of this patch:
Using upscaling in certain environments still causes flickering in shadow effects and character hair, visual noise in certain skill effects, and rough-looking screen textures.
Repeatedly changing NVIDIA Ray Reconstruction and DLSS options under certain conditions may cause frame drops. Pearl Abyss stated plans to improve this issue in the next patch.
When using AMD FSR 4 upscaling, raindrops may disappear during rainy weather, or the screen may display blurriness and visual distortion.
Related Articles
Patch Notes (full patch history)
Patch 1.01.01 (previous update, same day)
Patch 1.01.03 (next update)
Patch 1.01.00 (major content update)