Overview
This page tracks all official patches and updates released for Crimson Desert by Pearl Abyss. The game launched worldwide on March 19, 2026, with a Day One patch (Version 1.00.02) deployed the same evening on Steam and the following day on PlayStation. Patches are distributed through each platform's digital storefront, including Steam, the PlayStation Store, the Xbox Store, the Epic Games Store, and the Mac App Store. An internet connection is required to download updates, but once patched the game can be played entirely offline.
Background
Several of the changes in the Day One patch directly addressed criticisms raised by reviewers who played pre-release builds. During the review period, common complaints included the Tenebrum puzzle replay requirement, the slow cutscene fast-forward speed, and overly aggressive boss attack patterns during player revive animations. Pearl Abyss incorporated fixes for all three of these issues into the Day One patch, meaning most players at launch experienced a smoother version of the game than what reviewers had evaluated.
The timing of the patch also created a discrepancy in review scores. Some outlets published reviews based on the unpatched build, where issues like severely limited inventory space (originally as few as 20 slots) were a significant source of frustration. Pearl Abyss expanded the base inventory capacity to 50 slots and added further expansion options through NPC purchases, which players could discover through side quests and exploration. One reviewer reported accumulating 226 inventory slots before publishing their final assessment.
The Day One patch launched alongside a commercially strong but critically divided debut for Crimson Desert. Pearl Abyss reported two million copies sold on the first day. On Steam, early user reviews settled at a "Mixed" rating with approximately 66% positive across roughly 6,850 reviews, with common complaints including performance issues, the steep learning curve of the combat system, and bugs that persisted despite the Day One patch.
The timing of the patch created a notable gap between review scores and player experience. Several outlets published reviews based on the unpatched build, where issues like the Tenebrum puzzle replay requirement, slow cutscene fast-forwarding, boss attacks during revival animations, and severely limited inventory space (as few as 20 slots) were significant sources of frustration. Because the Day One patch addressed all of these, most players at launch encountered a substantially improved version of the game compared to what early reviewers had evaluated.
Version 1.00.02 (Day One Patch)
Main article: Patch 1.00.02
Initial Release: March 19, 2026, at 22:20 UTC (Steam)
File Size: Approximately 3.1 GB
The Day One patch was the first post-launch update for Crimson Desert. Pearl Abyss deployed it to Steam on the evening of March 19, ahead of the game's global unlock, so most players received the changes before their first session. The patch addressed gameplay feedback gathered during the review period and introduced new combat follow-ups for all three playable characters. Several issues criticized in early reviews, including slow cutscene navigation and punishing boss mechanics, were directly targeted by this update.
Platform Rollout
The Day One patch did not launch simultaneously on all platforms. Steam received the full Version 1.00.02 update first. PlayStation received the update in two sequential parts: Version 1.00.01 followed by Version 1.00.02. The Xbox, Epic Games Store, and Mac App Store versions were scheduled to receive the same content shortly after launch. The table below summarizes the rollout.
Platform | Version | Status at Launch | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Steam (PC) | 1.00.02 | Available March 19, 2026 | Full patch deployed at 22:20 UTC, before global unlock |
PlayStation 5 / PS5 Pro | 1.00.01, then 1.00.02 | Rolling out March 19-20 | Version 1.00.01 available at launch; 1.00.02 from March 19 at 01:00 UTC |
Xbox Series X|S | 1.00.02 | Pending at launch | Full patch available at a later date |
Epic Games Store | 1.00.02 | Pending at launch | Full patch available at a later date |
Mac App Store | 1.00.02 | Pending at launch | Full patch available at a later date |
On PlayStation, the two-part deployment meant that certain fixes shipped in the first part (1.00.01) while others required the second part (1.00.02). Items exclusive to the 1.00.02 portion on PlayStation included the faster cutscene fast-forward functionality and the Tenebrum boss fight puzzle skip. All other changes were included in both parts.
Quest Changes
Added a new tutorial quest at the start of Chapter 3 that teaches players how Abyss Gears work, including equipping, upgrading, and using their abilities in combat
Fixed progression-blocking issues affecting certain quest lines where objectives would not advance properly
Gameplay and Content
Improved usability for Housing and Farming mode and its related systems
Adjusted QTE difficulty when captured by enemies so it now increases gradually based on the number of times the player has been captured, rather than starting at a high difficulty
Removed the bear's instant-kill damage capability and rebalanced its overall damage output to be less punishing
Fixed a display bug where Greymane comrade counts appeared incorrectly or comrades failed to appear in the list entirely
Recently viewed cutscenes can now be fast-forwarded at a significantly faster speed (PlayStation 1.00.02 only at launch; PC received this with the initial deployment)
Corrected malfunctioning content elements and unintended behaviors across various gameplay systems
The patch improved the usability of the Housing mode and its related systems. While Pearl Abyss did not release detailed notes on the specific Housing changes, players have reported smoother placement controls, better camera behavior when placing furniture and farm equipment, and fewer instances of items clipping through floors or walls. The Farming system's crop watering and harvest mechanics also received quality-of-life improvements.
Content Additions
Beyond the balance and bug-fix items, the Day One patch introduced several pieces of new content and expanded existing systems.
A new Abyss Gear tutorial quest was added at the start of Chapter 3. This quest walks players through equipping, upgrading, and using Abyss Gears in combat. This keeps that players understand the system before it becomes essential to progression
Each of the three playable characters received new combat follow-up moves: Kliff gained a finishing blow on Flurry of Blows, Damiane gained a follow-up to her greatsword stab and uppercut, and Oongka gained a follow-up attack on the dual-wield stab. These additions expanded the combo potential for each character
The Skills menu was reorganized to separate skill names and descriptions by weapon type, making it far easier to identify which abilities belong to each weapon category
The Watch and Learn skill acquisition feature received usability improvements, making it easier to learn new techniques by observing NPCs and enemies in the world
Multiple skill descriptions and demonstration videos were updated to more accurately reflect in-game behavior, addressing a common complaint from early reviewers
Although not explicitly listed in the patch notes as a specific change, the Day One patch context revealed that Pearl Abyss expanded the base inventory capacity from the pre-release build's 20 slots to 50 slots. Players can further expand their inventory by completing Hernand Commissions (which reward 3 extra slots per quest), purchasing individual slots from vendors for 50 copper each, and earning inventory bags from faction quests. One reviewer reported accumulating 226 inventory slots before publishing their final assessment, demonstrating the significant expansion possible through gameplay.
Balance Changes
The Day One patch made several targeted balance adjustments in response to reviewer feedback and internal telemetry data. The following table details the specific changes.
Target | Change | Context |
|---|---|---|
Bear encounters | Removed the bear's instant-kill damage and reduced its overall damage output | Bears in the open world could one-shot players at certain levels, which felt punishing and unfair. The nerf makes early bear encounters survivable while still dangerous. |
QTE capture sequences | QTE difficulty now scales gradually based on the number of times the player has been captured, rather than starting at high difficulty | Previously, the first capture used the same fast prompts as subsequent ones. The new system starts with slow, forgiving prompts and increases speed with each capture. |
Combat balance adjusted with retuned damage values and attack patterns | The Reed Devil boss had difficulty spikes that were inconsistent with the progression curve. Damage and patterns were smoothed out. | |
Puzzle section in the Chapter 4 battle no longer replays after dying. Players respawn directly into the combat phase. | Reviewers heavily criticized having to replay the puzzle every death. This was the single most commonly requested fix in pre-launch feedback. | |
Boss revival vulnerability | Fixed bosses being able to attack the player during revival animations | Multiple bosses could land hits while the player was locked in a revive animation, making deaths feel unavoidable and frustrating. |
Walker-type monsters | Improved combat behavior and attack animations for smoother encounters | Walker-type enemies had stiff or unpredictable animation transitions that made combat feel unpolished. |
Quick Time Events (QTEs) that occur when enemies capture the player character received a significant change in the Day One patch. Previously, QTE sequences started at a high difficulty level from the first capture, which felt punishing for new players. Version 1.00.02 changed the system so that QTE difficulty now increases gradually based on the number of times the player has been captured during the current session. The first capture uses slow, forgiving prompts, and subsequent captures progressively speed up. This adaptive system lets new players learn the mechanic naturally while still providing challenge for experienced players who get caught repeatedly.
Bug Fixes
The following bugs were confirmed as fixed in the Version 1.00.02 Day One patch.
Area | Fix |
|---|---|
Quest progression | Fixed issues where certain quests would not advance properly, preventing players from continuing the main story or side content. |
Fixed a display bug where the number of Greymane comrades owned could appear lower than the actual count, or comrades could fail to appear on the list entirely. | |
Boss movement | Corrected abnormal movement patterns and progression-blocking bugs that could occur during specific boss encounters. |
NPC animations | Made improvements and fixes to NPC and animal animations, movements, lip-sync accuracy, visual clipping, visual effects, and voice acting quality. |
NPC dialogue | Improved NPC dialogue, voice lines, and reactions to sound more natural and contextually appropriate. |
Subtitle mismatches | Fixed mismatches between spoken voice dialogue and on-screen subtitles during NPC greeting sequences. |
NPC interactions | Resolved abnormal interaction issues with NPCs and animals that could prevent players from engaging certain characters. |
Content functionality | Fixed various content elements that did not function as intended or behaved incorrectly across gameplay systems. |
Localization | Fixed localization errors across all supported languages, including corrections to text in menus, dialogue, and item descriptions. |
User interface | Resolved various UI issues affecting text display, button functionality, and sound effects in menus and in-game overlays. |
Crashes | Addressed crash issues that could occur under specific hardware configurations or gameplay scenarios on both PC and console. |
Cutscene speed | Recently viewed cutscenes can now be fast-forwarded at a significantly faster speed. This was available on Steam from launch and arrived on PlayStation with the 1.00.02 portion. |
Skill Changes
The Day One patch overhauled the skill menu and added new combat follow-ups for each of the three playable characters. The table below lists each new skill addition.
Character | Change | Details |
|---|---|---|
Finishing blow added to Flurry of Blows | Kliff can now execute a powerful finisher at the end of the Flurry of Blows combo, adding a decisive closing strike to the rapid sequence | |
Follow-up skill added to greatsword stab and uppercut | Damiane's greatsword stab now chains into an uppercut follow-up, extending the combo potential of her heavy weapon moveset | |
Follow-up attack added to dual-wield stab | Oongka's dual-wield stab can now transition into an additional follow-up attack for more sustained pressure in close range |
In addition to the new moves, the patch made the following changes to the skill system:
Improved the usability of the "Watch and Learn" skill acquisition feature, making it easier for players to learn new techniques by observing NPCs and enemies
Reorganized the Skills menu to separate skill names and descriptions by weapon type, providing a clearer overview of available abilities
Updated skill descriptions and demonstration videos for multiple skills to better reflect their actual in-game behavior
The Day One patch significantly reworked the Skills menu interface. Previously, all skills were displayed in a single list regardless of which weapon they belonged to. Version 1.00.02 reorganized the Skills menu to separate skill names and descriptions by weapon type, providing a much clearer overview of available abilities for each weapon category. This change makes it easier to plan builds and identify which skills are available for specific loadouts.
In addition, multiple skill descriptions and demonstration videos were updated to better reflect the actual in-game behavior of each skill. Several skills had misleading or outdated descriptions prior to this patch, which made it difficult for players to understand exactly what each ability did before investing Abyss Artifacts into them.
Boss Fight Changes
Several boss encounters received balance adjustments and bug fixes in this patch. The most impactful change was to the Tenebrum fight in Chapter 4, where reviewers had criticized a puzzle section that forced players to replay it every time they died during the boss fight.
Boss / Enemy | Change |
|---|---|
The puzzle section in the Chapter 4 battle no longer needs to be replayed after dying during the boss fight. Players now respawn past the puzzle directly into the combat phase. | |
Combat balance adjusted; specific damage values and attack patterns retuned to reduce difficulty spikes. | |
Multiple bosses | Fixed an issue where bosses could attack the player character while the player was in the middle of a revival animation, making deaths feel unfair. |
Walker-type monsters | Improved combat behavior and attack animations to make encounters feel more polished and responsive. |
Various bosses | Corrected abnormal movement patterns and progression-blocking bugs that could occur during specific boss encounters. |
NPC and Dialogue Improvements
Made various improvements and fixes to NPC and animal animations, movements, lip-sync accuracy, visual clipping, visual effects, and voice acting quality
Improved NPC dialogue to sound more natural and contextually appropriate for each situation
Fixed mismatches between spoken voice dialogue and on-screen subtitles during NPC greeting sequences
Resolved abnormal interaction issues with NPCs and animals that could prevent players from engaging certain characters
Localization
Fixed localization errors across all supported languages, including text corrections in menus, dialogue, and item descriptions
User Interface
Resolved various UI issues affecting text display, button functionality, and sound effects in menus and in-game overlays
Performance and Stability
Implemented multiple performance and stability optimizations across both PC and console platforms
Addressed crash issues that could occur under specific hardware configurations or gameplay scenarios
Version 1.00.03 (March 23, 2026)
Main article: Patch 1.00.03
Patch 1.00.03 was released on March 23, 2026, four days after the game's launch. This update focused on quality-of-life improvements, controls enhancements, combat rebalancing, and technical fixes across all platforms. Pearl Abyss rolled the patch out in stages: PlayStation received it at 2:15 UTC on March 23, Xbox at 8:15 UTC the same day, the Epic Games Store on March 25 at 13:15 UTC, and the Mac App Store version at a later date.
Quest Fixes
Fixed an issue in Chapter 2 where the cat navigation during the "Reunion" quest could become unresponsive or lead players in the wrong direction.
Improved the symbol positioning feedback during the "Mysterious Pot" quest in Chapter 4, making it clearer where to place symbols on the pot.
Resolved a bug where "Turnali's Request" could not be completed if the player had already crafted a refined Bekker Shield.
Enhanced crime status notifications so players receive clearer alerts when entering or leaving criminal status.
Content Additions and Quality-of-Life Changes
Added more Abyss Nexus fast travel points across Pywel, improving connectivity between regions.
Introduced Private Storage with 240 slots at Hernand lodgings and Howling Hill Camp. This is the first dedicated player storage system in the game, separate from the Supply Chest and Kuku Iron Pot.
Reduced the time required to acquire new knowledge entries.
The Watch and Learn skill observation feature now only requires a single observation to learn a skill, down from multiple viewings.
Accelerated Force Palm learning availability, allowing players to acquire it earlier in the game.
Decreased the number of hits required to fell trees during logging.
Lowered the QTE difficulty for Arm Wrestling and mount taming sequences.
Ore veins are now automatically discovered when the player is within an 8-meter radius, without requiring a manual strike first.
Enhanced the responsiveness of the Skybridge Alignment Device.
Increased health restoration from food and raw ingredients.
Reduced Stamina consumption for Nature's Grasp.
Modified Bismuth Ore mining mechanics: deposits are now petrified by default and can be mined directly with a pickaxe. An electrical attack is no longer required to crack the crystalline shell.
Added new food items at the Hernand Tavern.
Carl's restorative items at the Greymane Camp reduced in price from 10 Silver to 1 Silver.
Controls
Added keyboard shortcuts: [I] opens Inventory, [K] opens Skills, [J] opens Journal, [M] opens Map.
Added mouse side button defaults: Mouse Button 4 for Guard/Aim, Mouse Button 5 for Evade.
Improved keyboard and mouse movement responsiveness.
Fixed issues where duplicate key assignments could occur during rebinding.
Combat and Boss Fight Adjustments
Reduced enemy and boss Health and Attack values across the board, lowering overall combat difficulty.
Decreased stamina consumption for blocking, making sustained defense more viable.
Increased stun gauge accumulation on successful parries, rewarding precise timing with faster staggers.
Fixed an issue where fire arrows would not properly ignite enemies on hit.
Adjusted Kearush the Slayer attack patterns to be more readable and less punishing.
Technical and Platform Fixes
Fix | Platform | Details |
|---|---|---|
PS5 Map menu crash | PS5 / PS5 Pro | Fixed the crash that occurred when opening the Map menu. This was one of the most reported issues since launch. |
Graphics card recognition | PC | Resolved issues where certain graphics cards were not detected properly at startup. |
DualSense vibration | PC (Windows) | Fixed DualSense controller vibration not working on Windows when connected via USB or Bluetooth. |
120Hz toggle | PS5 / Xbox | Added a toggle for 120Hz output on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, giving players direct control over refresh rate. |
Mac graphics defaults | Mac | Fixed incorrect default graphics settings and resolved a crash that could occur at launch on macOS. |
Platform Availability
Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
PlayStation 5 / PS5 Pro | March 23, 2026 at 2:15 UTC |
Xbox Series X|S | March 23, 2026 at 8:15 UTC |
Epic Games Store | March 25, 2026 at 13:15 UTC |
Mac App Store | Scheduled for a later date |
Version 1.00.04 (March 23-24, 2026, Hotfixes)
Patch 1.00.04 consisted of two platform-specific hotfixes released on consecutive days. The first targeted PlayStation 5, and the second targeted Mac via Steam. For full details, see the dedicated Patch 1.00.04 page.
PlayStation 5 Hotfix (March 23, 07:25 UTC)
Fixed a bug where switching from another character to Kliff caused certain interactions and actions to stop working properly.
Mac Steam Hotfix (March 24, 16:51 UTC)
Fixed an issue where crashes would sometimes occur when completing quests, starting the game, or exiting the game on Mac via Steam.
Version 1.01.00 (March 28, 2026)
The first major content update for Crimson Desert. This patch added five permanently summonable mounts (including three legendary animals and two boss mounts), introduced Refinement Tokens for streamlined equipment upgrading, and delivered widespread quality-of-life improvements across crafting, inventory, controls, and combat. Flight stamina consumption was significantly reduced, Aerial Stab was rebalanced with proper animations and progressive stamina cost, and photo mode gained field of view adjustment and increased camera distance. See Patch 1.01.00 for the full patch notes.
Key Highlights
Category | Change |
|---|---|
New mounts | Five permanently summonable mounts: White Bear, Silver Deer, Silver Fang (legendary), Rock Tusk Warthog, and Icicle Edge Alpine Ibex (boss). |
New item allowing equipment tempering up to Stage 4 without extra materials. Region-specific, obtained from quests. | |
Significantly reduced flight stamina consumption. Equipped items can now be used while flying. | |
Rebalanced with progressive stamina cost and improved animations. Now works with all weapon types. | |
Quality of life | Make Now crafting, batch storage, faster shop knowledge, locked door prompts, well/mining/lumber auto-collect, and more. |
PS5 graphics | Added Fixed 4K Output option. Improved translucent material rendering with FSR-RR/DLSS-RR. |
Platform Availability
Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
Steam (PC), Steam (Mac), PS5, Xbox Series X|S | March 28, 2026 at 18:00 UTC |
Epic Games Store, Mac App Store | Later date |
Version 1.01.01 (March 30, 2026)
A hotfix addressing bugs introduced in Patch 1.01.00. This update fixed mount talisman interactions appearing on incorrect NPCs, resolved the Blackstar boss remaining airborne after defeat, restored A.T.A.G. Unit destruction mechanics, and corrected issues with the tempering interface, horse movement, White Bear mount sprinting, Constellation Helm controls, and companion equipment refinement. See Patch 1.01.01 for the full patch notes.
Key Fixes
Category | Fix |
|---|---|
Mount Talisman | Removed incorrect "Use" option from Damiane and Oongka NPC menus |
Boss Encounter | Fixed Blackstar remaining airborne after defeat |
Mech Combat | Restored A.T.A.G. Unit destruction mechanics |
Tempering | Restored target selection in the tempering interface |
Horse Movement | Fixed erratic horse pathing with follow button |
White Bear Mount | Enabled sprinting on White Bear mount |
Fixed control lock when exiting Constellation Helm | |
Companion Refinement | Restored equipment refinement for Damiane and Oongka |
Version 1.01.02 (March 30, 2026)
A Steam-exclusive hotfix targeting graphics rendering issues with NVIDIA Ray Reconstruction and DLSS. This update improved screen blurriness in certain environments, fixed flickering at sky-cloud boundaries, and corrected visual glitches caused by chimney smoke particle effects overlapping with nearby objects. See Patch 1.01.02 for the full patch notes.
Key Changes
Category | Change |
|---|---|
NVIDIA DLSS / Ray Reconstruction | Graphics quality partially improved when using NVIDIA Ray Reconstruction and DLSS |
Screen Blurriness | Fixed screen appearing blurry in certain environments |
Sky Flickering | Fixed flickering where the sky and clouds meet |
Chimney Smoke | Fixed flickering when chimney smoke effects overlapped with nearby objects |
Version 1.01.03 (March 31, 2026)
An all-platforms hotfix (build 1.000.173) that resolved a high-priority combat bug affecting boss encounters. This update was deployed simultaneously to Steam (PC and Mac), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Epic Games Store, and Mac App Store. See Patch 1.01.03 for the full patch notes.
Key Fix
Category | Fix |
|---|---|
Boss Combat | Fixed an issue where some bosses would sometimes stop moving during combat, causing encounters to break |
Notable Known Issues (as of 1.01.03)
Upscaling causes shadow/hair flickering and visual noise in certain environments
NVIDIA Ray Reconstruction option changes may cause frame drops (fix planned for next patch)
Golden Beer and Sage's Eye item effects do not apply properly
"A Rumor Fueled by Greed" quest blocks if required item is sold or lost
NPC Trust values may reset to Prologue values under certain conditions
Version 1.02.00 (April 4, 2026)
The second major content update for Crimson Desert (build 1.000.186), released on April 4, 2026. This patch introduced the headgear visibility toggle, expanded private storage capacity up to 1,000 slots, added alternative movement control options, and delivered extensive quality-of-life improvements to flight, fast travel, and the user interface. The update also included new cat companion armor, enemy gimmick redesigns, and over two dozen bug fixes across all platforms. See Patch 1.02.00 for the full patch notes.
Main article: Patch 1.02.00
Initial Release: April 4, 2026
Build Number: 1.000.186
Platforms: Steam (PC), Steam (Mac), PlayStation 5, Epic Games Store (Xbox and Mac App Store scheduled for later)
Key Highlights
Category | Change |
|---|---|
New display option in Settings > Language & Gameplay with four modes: Always Show, Show in Combat, Hide in Cutscenes, and Always Hide. Players can wear a headgear piece for its stats while keeping it hidden visually. | |
Private Storage Expansion | Private storage capacity can now be increased from 240 slots up to 1,000 slots. Each camp expansion at Howling Hill adds 100 slots through the first four expansions, with the final expansion adding 360 slots. |
New option in Settings > Input > Movement Controls with two modes. Basic (new default): hold the sprint key to accelerate, consuming stamina at set intervals. Classic: repeatedly tap the sprint key to accelerate, consuming stamina per press. Both modes result in the same speed and total stamina usage. | |
Auto-Glide | Holding the jump button while jumping off a ledge now automatically activates flight. Players no longer need a separate button press to enter glide mode. The transition has been smoothed to eliminate any delay. |
Teleport While Moving | Abyss Nexus fast travel points can now be activated while the character is moving slightly. Previously, players had to stand completely still to teleport. This does not work while mounted or during flight (flight teleportation is planned for a future update). |
Skybridge Gate Fast Travel | Restored Skybridge Gates in the Abyss can now be teleported to, functioning as additional fast travel points within the Abyss. |
New Abyss Nexus | A new Abyss Nexus fast travel point has been added in Pailune. |
Cat Armor | Added the Visionet Helmet and Visionet Neckerchief, a new armor set for the cat companion. |
Enemy Gimmick Redesigns | Several enemy types have received redesigned combat gimmicks, changing how players need to approach those encounters. |
Bug Fixes and Improvements
Category | Fix |
|---|---|
Fixed an issue where Healing Force Palm and Aerial Force Palm skills would incorrectly reset together when resetting the skill tree. | |
Dispatch Missions | Comrades now properly return after completing dispatch missions. Previously, comrades could fail to reappear after being sent out. |
Abyss Puzzles | Fixed an issue where Abyss puzzle states would incorrectly reset when viewing map details. |
Boss Combat | Fixed bosses teleporting too far away during combat, which could cause encounters to break or become impossible to complete. |
Quest Progression (Chapter 6) | Fixed an issue in Chapter 6 where quest progression became unavailable after saving and loading following a boss defeat. |
Quest Progression (Chapter 11) | Fixed the Inserted Key disappearing in Chapter 11, which prevented further quest progression. |
Quest Item Fix | Fixed the "A Rumor Fueled by Greed" quest becoming blocked if the required item was sold or lost. |
Save System | Save and Load menus have been separated, and save slots now display proper number labels for easier identification. |
Focus State | Fixed an issue where the Focus state would not be canceled when using Aerial Roll during flight. Players can no longer maintain Focus indefinitely while gliding by barrel rolling. |
Combat Fixes | Fixed weapon drawing issues in Demeniss Castle, Double Boost horse ability activation, parry functionality with two-handed swords during Focus, and camera behavior when aiming tools. |
Character Visibility | Fixed a bug where the character could become invisible after obtaining Abyss Artifacts. |
Quality of Life Improvements
Area | Improvement |
|---|---|
Explosive Barrels | Explosive barrels are now more visible when using the Light Reflection skill or lantern, making them easier to spot during combat encounters. |
Item Notifications | Item use notifications now allow players to select and use items directly from the notification. |
Shop UI | Shop display has been reorganized to prioritize sellable items for faster selling. |
Jump Responsiveness | Improved responsiveness when inputting a jump after an attack, reducing the delay between actions. |
Elemental Status Effects | Added an Escape key guide when affected by elemental status effects, making it clearer how to break free. |
Minimap | Fixed the minimap scale resetting when traveling on a mount. |
Mouse Cursor | Fixed mouse cursor visibility issues in the storage menu. |
Horse Inventory | Fixed item movement issues in the horse inventory. |
Graphics and Performance
Platform | Change |
|---|---|
PC (General) | Improved FSR upscaling quality with SDK 2.2 applied. Enhanced Frame Generation performance. Fixed GPU memory issues and shimmering artifacts with Ray Reconstruction. Corrected ray-traced reflection rendering. Fixed DLAA and HDR flickering. |
PlayStation 5 Pro | Applied upgraded PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) features. Improved sharpness and native anti-aliasing in Quality Mode. |
Xbox Series X | Added 4K upscaling option to Performance Mode. Fixed V-Sync behavior when using the Home button. |
All Platforms | Multiple stability and crash fixes. Corrected missing walls in Corridors of the Void. Improved audio positioning relative to camera perspective. Fixed background audio distortion in certain locations. |
Balance Changes
The Focus flying exploit has been removed. Previously, players could enter Focus during a glide and perform a barrel roll to maintain Focus state indefinitely, allowing them to fly without consuming stamina. With this patch, entering Focus during flight and performing an Aerial Roll now properly cancels Focus, preventing indefinite flight.
Localization
Enhanced translation quality and corrected localization errors across all supported languages.
Announced Upcoming Features
Pearl Abyss announced two features planned for future updates alongside the 1.02.00 patch:
Hide Weapon on Back: An option to hide the weapon displayed on the character's back while exploring. This feature is listed as coming soon.
Flight Teleportation: The ability to use Abyss Nexus fast travel while in flight. Currently, teleporting is not possible during flight, but Pearl Abyss has confirmed this is planned.
Version 1.03.00 (April 9, 2026)
Patch 1.03.00 is a major content update released on April 9, 2026, with a revision applied on April 11. Full details are in the dedicated Patch 1.03.00 article.
Key Highlights
Added the Weapon Display option (melee All/Selected Only, ranged Always/Only When Used).
Added a Minimum Font Size accessibility setting (requires restart).
Added Fast Forward Speed (up to 4x) for standard dialogue scenes, and removed the letterbox during fast-forward.
Abyss Nexus teleport now works while mounted, falling, swimming, or climbing walls.
Added Focused Aerial Roll for Kliff.
Damiane and Oongka received abilities equivalent to Kliff's Force Palm and Axiom Force.
Shield Toss (Damiane) and Scatter Shot (Oongka) now function like Force Palm for puzzle interactions.
Greymane Camp NPC placement improved; Pailune camp farm and ranch areas expanded.
Added Intel Arc GPU support, Intel XeSS 3.0, XeSS Frame Generation, AMD Radeon Anti-Lag 2, and new graphics options for Displacement Scale and Detail Decorative Mesh.
PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X gained an Enhanced Raytracing option; PS5 Pro gained a PSSR Sharpness option.
Added 3 new base combat music tracks and 1 new loading screen music track.
Selected Fixes
Fixed abnormal speed when follow-up attacks were blocked.
Fixed Blinding Flash deactivating while moving on a mount.
Fixed the scythe being undrawable in safe zones (applied in the April 11 revision).
Fixed a crash when using the Helm of Knowledge as Damiane or Oongka.
Fixed unlimited corn purchasing at certain vendors.
Fixed totem destruction not completing after Chapter 9.
Fixed bounties displaying as 0 under certain conditions.
Fixed Bank Investment fund updates failing during a Wanted state.
Platform Availability
Steam (PC/Mac), PlayStation, Xbox, Xbox on PC, Epic Games Store, Mac App Store.
Version 1.03.01 (April 12, 2026)
Patch 1.03.01 is an all-platforms hotfix released April 12, 2026 at 02:50 UTC. Full details are in the dedicated Patch 1.03.01 article.
Key Fixes
Fixed projectiles ricocheting away or disappearing on Nature's Snare.
[Xbox] Fixed Nature's Snare sometimes being unusable with a wireless controller.
Fixed loot sometimes not being stored in Private Storage after liberating a location.
Version 1.04 (April 2026)
Patch 1.04 is the largest post-launch update released for Crimson Desert to date. The download weighs in at roughly 40 GB on each platform, with the bulk of that size going toward improved long-distance rendering and texture quality. The patch began rolling out to all platforms during April 2026 and is being deployed over several hours on each storefront as usual. It adds three selectable difficulty settings, a suite of new specialized storage containers, birds as a new pet category, fresh skills for all three playable characters, expanded housing options at the Greymane Camp, and a long list of balance, UI, graphics, and accessibility changes. Pearl Abyss also confirmed that boss rematches are still in development and will arrive in a later update rather than as part of this one.
Difficulty Settings
The settings menu now contains a difficulty selector with three options. The choice can be changed from the settings screen and affects combat values and the behavior of Bosses across the campaign. Normal difficulty matches the existing experience, so players who do not touch the setting will see no change.
Difficulty | Player Changes | Opponent Changes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Easy | Reduced damage taken. Extended timing windows for parry and dodge. | Reduced maximum HP, aggressiveness, and movement speed. Reduced frequency of counterattacks and escape attempts when hit. | Intended for players who want a lighter encounter with campaign and boss fights. |
Normal | Unchanged from the pre-patch baseline. | Unchanged from the pre-patch baseline. | Leaves the game in its previously shipped state. |
Hard | Increased damage taken. Reduced timing windows for parry and dodge. Reduced invincibility duration on roll. Food effects no longer apply immediately; the consumption animation must finish before the buff activates. | Increased maximum HP, aggressiveness, and movement speed. Increased frequency of counterattacks and escape attempts when hit. Additional combat patterns added for certain bosses. | Designed for experienced players looking for more intense and thrilling combat. |
Storage and Housing
The patch introduces four new placeable storage containers and an expanded Housing system with selectable house layouts. All of the new containers can be retrieved with a single new mass-retrieval control, and the Housing mode UI and controls have been refined throughout.
Container | Slots | How to Obtain | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
1,000 | Purchased from a Furniture Shops | Materials stored inside can be used for crafting or refinement without being carried in the backpack. | |
40 | Awarded from a new quest that unlocks its blueprint | Holds food items and ingredients. Stored ingredients can be used for cooking without being carried. | |
330 | Craftable upgrade of the Kuku Cooler | Same cook-from-storage behavior as the base version, with much higher capacity. | |
1,000 | Awarded from a new quest | Dedicated storage for quest items and crafting recipes. | |
100 per wardrobe, up to 1,000 total across 10 wardrobes | Purchased from a Furniture Shops | Gains a new outfit-storage feature so equipment can be moved out of the main inventory. |
The house layout itself can now be changed. A new Select House option lets players switch between four layouts depending on their Greymane Camp expansion level:
Compact House: the smallest layout, for players who want a simpler footprint.
Standard House: the mid-size layout with a balance of open floor and defined rooms.
Spacious House: the largest layout available before relocating the camp.
Spacious Pailunese House: a unique layout that unlocks after the camp relocation, with more room for decoration and storage furniture.
The Housing mode UI and controls have been polished throughout. Placement feedback is clearer and furniture snaps more predictably to valid surfaces.
A new function retrieves every furniture item placed through Housing mode in a single action.
Greymane Camp
All goods sold by Greymane Camp NPCs are now offered at a 10% discount to members of the camp.
After moving the camp to Pailune, players now receive a Private Storage item that can be placed through Housing mode, giving the Pailunese residence a dedicated stash.
A new well has been added to Howling Hill, giving the camp a permanent source of water for cooking and gathering.
Pets
Birds join cats and dogs as a fully supported Pets category. Existing pet behavior has been cleaned up, and every tamed companion can now wear a new accessory slot that influences its behavior.
Addition | Details |
|---|---|
A new inventory item awarded by a new quest. Foods that birds prefer can be placed into it, and feeding from the Sotdae of Bond increases trust with nearby birds until they are willing to become Pets. | |
Five new cat types | Five additional cat variants can be encountered and tamed across Pywel. |
The Abyss Heuklang can now be tamed as a pet. | |
Rename function | Horses and pets can now be given custom names. |
Pet accessory slot | Every pet species now has an accessory slot, letting owners change a pet's role or behavior through equipment. |
A new accessory. Equipping it on a cat keeps the cat on the player's shoulder for a much longer stretch, restoring the old shoulder behavior for players who preferred it. |
Fixed an issue where cats would remain on the player's shoulder indefinitely, contrary to the intended design. Shoulder-riding is now opt-in via the Sigil of Bonding.
Skills - Kliff
Kliff can now use a new Weapon Throw skill while dual-wielding. It uses the same controls as Shield Bash, so players can throw either weapon and retrieve it by pressing the same input again or walking up to the weapon on the ground.
Improved the attack speed of Force Palm.
Improved Force Current so Kliff no longer falls from ledges while using it.
Force Palm Pulse can now be charged up to three stages, with damage increasing at each stage.
Fixed an issue where the parry action after guarding would not trigger when a non-sword weapon was equipped as the primary weapon.
Fixed issues where charge could not be used with certain weapons.
Skills - Damiane and Oongka
Damiane and Oongka both learn a new Ambush skill, expanding their stealth toolkit.
Damiane and Oongka also learn a skill with the same effect as Kliff's Focused Force Palm, which lets them solve Axiom Force wall puzzles previously gated behind Kliff.
Damiane's Quick Reload can now be acquired by spending an Abyss Artifact. The skill was previously learnable only through skill observation, which became inaccessible after Chapter 11.
Oongka's Blaster can now be fired during flight.
Fixed scattershot being usable without bullets during Back Hang.
Fixed horizontal movement not functioning correctly during vertical flight.
New Weapons and Armor
Item | Character | How to Obtain | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Awarded from a new quest | A new one-handed sword exclusive to Damiane. | ||
Obtained by cutting down ordinary trees | A new one-handed weapon for Kliff, intended as a novelty and early-game option. | ||
Obtained by cutting down bamboo | A higher-grade variant of the Tree Branch. | ||
Tool | Added alongside the tree branch weapons | A new broom tool; a step up from the standard Broom. | |
Added as an equippable outfit | A previously inaccessible armor set now available for Kliff to wear. | ||
Renamed and buffed | The helmet previously known as Rekhia Plate Helm has been renamed to Baltheon Plate Helm and improved so Kliff can equip it. |
Shops and Armor Dye
A new secret shop has been added to Pororin that sells Pet Equipment.
Additional outfits have been added to several shops, including the Back Alley Shop.
New livestock vendors have been placed across Pywel. Players can now buy cows, pigs, goats, sheep, ducks, and chickens from these NPCs to populate their farm.
Kuku Flame-Resistant Armor and Kuku Ice-Resistant Armor can now be dyed through the standard Dye System, so players no longer have to choose between stat protection and the look they want.
Gathering, Crafting, and Mounts
Added new ore nodes and wells across Pywel, making resource gathering less of a detour.
Reduced the attack and defense values gained from equipment reinforcement with Grindstones and anvils. This is a deliberate balance pull-back on the amount of stats those upgrades were providing.
Improved gathering and mining so the quantity of items obtained is applied consistently, cleaning up cases where the same node could produce widely different yields.
Improved the brightness and detection range of the Miner's Lantern Hat. The hat now also highlights stone as gatherable, not just ore veins.
Fixed an issue where the Cloud Cart could not be called. The Cloud Cart is now a permanent summonable mount rather than a single-use item, and its associated crafting mission can only be completed once.
Fixed sprinting, swimming, and a number of other actions not working while riding the Marne's Mecha Horse.
Fixed Blackstar becoming invincible or unable to move when the player teleported through the map while mounted.
Fixed Blackstar not moving when summoned from a distance.
Fixed stamina recovering when repeatedly drawing and stowing weapons while moving.
Skill Observation
Improved the Observation Learning feature so that observing a skill the character has already acquired via an Abyss Artifact now awards an Abyss Artifact instead of doing nothing. Prior to this patch, that attempt simply went to waste.
Inventory and UI
The inventory is now organized into five category tabs: All, Documents, Equipment, Food, Materials, and Others. Sort settings are saved per tab and persist across play sessions.
Regular Abyss Gears, insects, fish, and animals are now stackable, freeing a large amount of inventory space that previously forced one slot per item.
Grouped icons in the inventory now show a representative image of the group so players can tell stacks apart at a glance. The feature can be toggled in the settings.
Added a lock function that prevents selling or discarding of the selected items, useful for protecting rare drops and crafting materials.
Added 13 new tattoo designs for characters.
Added filters and a search function to the map.
Added a feature that lets players choose the shape and color of their map markers.
The map and mini-map now display well icons and a notification when a Memory Fragments point is still available in an area. After a Memory Fragments is obtained, lanterns no longer give a detection signal for it.
For shops where maximum trust has been reached, the map now displays the stock status of items, making routine resupply runs easier to plan.
The mini-map now displays cardinal directions (north, south, east, west).
The layout of the skills menu has been adjusted for Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka to improve readability.
The faction quest and challenges UI now shows the number of quests and challenges available at a glance.
The journal now displays reward item information on hover, so players can preview what a quest pays out without opening a separate menu.
Shops now show how many of an item the player already owns, and the buy menu lists the conditions required to purchase deactivated items.
Separated the input options for Ungroup and Ungroup All items so those two actions no longer share a single control.
Controls
Added a preset feature for both keyboard/mouse and controller. The original controls are available as the Classic preset for players who do not want any changes.
Added an Interaction Key immediate-action option. When the interaction key is pressed, the corresponding action is performed immediately rather than waiting for a held confirmation. If a bound key overlaps with the default input group, the section is highlighted in yellow so the conflict is easy to spot.
Added an Evasion Control option. Roll and evasion can now be triggered by either the original double-click/press input or a hold input. A separate switch option lets players swap which input performs roll and which performs evasion.
Added a function that toggles the lantern on and off while aiming.
Improved controls so that even when a weapon is drawn, pressing aim near an interactable target switches immediately to aim mode instead of triggering guard.
Added a Skill Element quick-slot option. Selecting the quick-slot option assigns elements to each individual input, so different attacks can carry different elements.
Changed the Vault control: vault can now only be triggered by pressing jump while performing a different attack, preventing accidental vaults.
Changed all interactions so they execute continuously while the button is held down.
For keyboard and mouse, the dismount, drop, and cancel key bindings have been combined, and the range of customizable key bindings has been expanded.
For keyboard and mouse, the escape key used under status effects now matches the evade key so players can break out of a stagger without a separate binding.
For controller, the map can now be opened by holding the Dual Sense touchpad or the Xbox controller's View button.
Combat and Boss Balance
Bosses are no longer immune to player attacks while performing powerful attacks, so they can be damaged and interrupted during wind-ups that previously flashed blue.
Adjusted the frequency at which Bosses counterattack or escape while being hit consecutively, making combo chains more reliable.
Adjusted the attack patterns of certain Bosses.
Increased damage taken by enemies from elemental status ailments, making elemental loadouts more rewarding.
Slightly reduced the damage dealt when hitting enemies with pillars or trees.
Improved follow-up attacks so they connect more quickly even when the initial attack was blocked.
Blinding Flash can now be used in areas where weapons cannot be drawn, such as inside the camp, and the flash is now aimed at the target the character is currently facing.
Improved attack chaining after using dodge during unarmed combat.
Improved spears and long swords so their attacks flow more naturally during combat.
Changed the healing effect displayed on targets affected by Healing Force Palm.
Fixed the lift interaction becoming unavailable when a restrained target fell into water.
Fixed the character getting stuck in certain situations while operating mechanical devices.
Improved the overall speed of Examine when inspecting items, and the speed of pushing or rotating objects during puzzles.
Improved Examine so it can be used from the inventory while mounted on a horse.
Graphics and Accessibility
The rendering overhaul is the main reason the patch weighs roughly 40 GB. Most of the new data is higher-detail textures and geometry that only appears at long distance.
Improved the render quality of distant objects and textures. Higher graphics settings now show substantially more detail and visual clarity at long ranges.
Fixed an issue where certain background objects that should only appear under specific conditions were always visible from a distance.
Improved the visual quality of characters at long distances.
Improved hair lighting in shaded areas.
Fixed errors and flickering related to displacement mapping.
Added a maximum size option for the subtitle font.
The camera distance to the character is now maintained when adjusting the visual range in settings.
Added a Colorblind Mode option under Settings > Accessibility.
Added a Chromatic Aberration toggle under Settings > Accessibility.
Added a Photosensitive Mode under Settings > Accessibility.
On PC, improved the quality of AMD FSR Ray Regeneration and Intel XeSS 3.0 upscaling.
On Steam, fixed actions requiring rotation of the right stick (such as nature's snare and reeling in a fishing rod) not functioning properly with an Xbox controller when Steam Input was enabled.
On Mac, added a Metal FX denoising upscaler option and reduced stuttering during gameplay.
Improved HDR quality and added a safeguard that prevents HDR from being enabled on monitors that do not support it, which previously caused crashes.
Miscellaneous
Tumbleweeds have been added to the desert regions.
NPCs show a wider variety of reactions to their surroundings.
Resting in bed now causes the character to get up immediately after waking, rather than playing an extended idle animation.
Comrades no longer attack bounty targets, making stealth turn-ins more reliable.
The journal now indicates whether a quest target has been dispatched on a mission.
The journal's progress display for cumulative quests (for example, To the Rescue) has been improved so counters actually track accurately.
The bounty system has been updated so that, if the player's bounty is too high to turn in a target normally, bringing the target to Constant Blurry triggers an arrest instead of the handover cutscene.
Fixed the target location being displayed incorrectly when a bounty-target quest failed.
Fixed the effects of Golden Beer and Sage's Eye not applying properly. Golden Beer's permanent double rewards from Greymane Camp missions are back in effect.
Fixed several Paloon merchant NPCs not appearing in some save files.
Fixed trust not increasing when giving gifts to the boss of the Beggars' Alliance.
Fixed knowledge entries that could not be acquired for the Paloon Militia, Tristan the Flame Knight, the Mechina Knight, and the Dreadnought.
Fixed Greater Viscera Gears that could not be sold.
Fixed the Weapon Display setting not applying properly in certain cutscenes and gameplay situations.
Fixed infinite loading screens, including the case that occurred when the player was caught cheating at Duo Asa.
Fixed NPCs being unable to pick up items they had dropped after colliding with the player.
Fixed outfits that looked unnatural depending on the player's movements.
Improved the display of horse cargo so it no longer overlaps with the shield display.
Fixed the character switch menu becoming unavailable after completing a stage that automatically switched the player character.
Fixed the game occasionally closing when retrying boss fights as Damiane or Oongka.
Fixed several audio issues where sound effects did not play correctly in certain situations.
Fixed an issue with the prologue where enemies would not recognize the player after resting in bed.
Additional localization improvements and stability fixes across PC, console, and Mac.
Platform Availability
Steam (PC), Steam (Mac), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Epic Games Store, and Mac App Store. Patch 1.04 is rolling out to every platform, with Steam receiving the build first and the remaining storefronts following over the course of several hours.
Community Notes and Additions (Patch 1.04)
The following player-observed details supplement the official Patch 1.04 notes. These behaviors were confirmed after the patch went live and are organized by the affected system.
Bird Taming and the Sigil of Bond
A new bird-feeder item called the Sigil of Bond is granted as a quest reward from Authorized Access in Pororin Village. Players who previously completed the quest receive the Sigil automatically on next login.
The Sigil is placed on the ground (best on cliff tops and hillsides near a bird's flight path). Food is loaded into it and nearby birds land to feed. Trust increases with every feed until the bird can be taken as a pet.
The overall pet roster has grown to roughly sixty tameable companions after this update, up from about eighteen before, with five new cat variants and a full set of birds joining existing Pets.
See the Pet Taming Guide for feeding priorities, best bird farming spots, and food tables (crows and other small birds prefer grains and bugs, while Eagle, hawks, falcons, and owls prefer lean meat).
Map Filter UI
The World Map now supports a category-based filter. On PlayStation 5 it is opened with the touchpad; on Xbox it is opened with the equivalent map button. Each icon category (abyss nexuses, sky-bridge gates, grocery shops, and so on) can be toggled on or off independently so the overworld map only shows the markers the player cares about.
Hot Air Balloon as a Permanent Mount
The Cloud Cart, also called the Hot Air Balloon, is now a permanent summonable mount rather than a consumable. It has a long cooldown between summons and now accepts directional input (forward, back, and sideways) so it can drift horizontally in addition to climbing. The fully upgraded version holds altitude indefinitely, which lets players cross into the Abyss without teleporting.
The mount is still crafted at the Cloud Cart Workshop in the workshop area adjacent to the Pororin Research Institute.
New Constabulary Near Pororin Research Institute
A new constabulary opened near the Pororin Research Institute close to the workshop area. Regional bounty targets such as Salvatore can now be turned in here, with a short animated handover cutscene, rather than traveling back to Hernand.
Dispatch UI Button Split at Greymane Camp
The Greymane Camp Dispatch Missions interface now uses separate buttons for one-shot dispatch and auto-repeat. Square on controller (F on keyboard) sends a team on the mission, while Triangle (G on keyboard) marks the mission for auto-repeat.
Repeatable missions renew automatically without further input. Default-resource missions such as Camp Food and Camp Funds can be set to auto-repeat; special reward dispatches (for example those paying out an Abyss Artifact) remain one-shot and expire after two or three in-game days.
Community testing has reported that the double-reward Beer multiplier still applies to the first manual dispatch but does not currently apply to subsequent auto-repeat runs; the gap is widely suspected to be a bug and may be addressed in a later hotfix.
Hedgehog Golden Apple Drops
Golden Apple drops from the Baby Hedgehog are now ordinary loot. Stealth-stealing with a mask is no longer required, no bounty is triggered by the interaction, and drawing a weapon to lightly threaten the hedgehog also causes it to drop the Golden Apple without needing to kill it.
Riding Set Tooltips and Riding Cloak Vendor
Every piece of the riding outfit now shows Horse Taming Difficulty and Horse XP Gain on its tooltip. The Riding Hat now grants Plus One Horse XP Gain, matching the other riding pieces. With the cloak, chest (Riding Attire), and boots already contributing Plus One each, a full riding loadout now totals Plus Four Horse XP Gain, roughly doubling the previous bonus and noticeably reducing the in-game time required to reach full trust with a horse companion.
The Riding Cloak is now sold at the back-alley shop in Pailune once the player reaches trust level one hundred with that vendor, giving a reliable path for finishing the set.
Lacey, the Roaming Pororin Village Vendor
A new roaming merchant named Lacey walks the main road that circles Pororin Village. She carries a backpack and can be recognized at distance by her silhouette.
Lacey sells the Palmar Pill as well as the Sigil of Bonding, a cat shoulder-grip accessory. The Sigil of Bonding is distinct from the bird-feeder Sigil of Bond and restores the previous shoulder-riding behavior when equipped on a cat companion.
Pet Behavior and Greymane Camp Atmosphere
Tamed Companions that are not currently summoned now wander the Greymane Camp area passively. Each one keeps wearing whatever gear it had equipped last time it was summoned, and some species reposition based on weather (cats seek shelter when it rains).
Smaller flying Pets such as the Crow now land on the Pororin Petal Hat when it is being worn, rather than on the shoulder or hand. Larger fliers such as the legendary Phoenix unlocked through Sighting of the Phoenix continue to perch on the arm.
Pets can now be renamed at any time from the pet menu inside the inventory tab.
Version 1.04.01 (Hotfix)
A hotfix addressing bugs introduced in Patch 1.04. The focus is on restoring mount quick-slot behavior and tuning the Focused Aerial Roll that was unintentionally slowed down in the base 1.04 build.
Mounts and Aerial Movement
Restored the quick-slot entries for the Dragon Mount, bear, and the other legendary Mounts that were unintentionally removed from the quick-slot menu by the 1.04 build. The quick slot now defaults to the most recently unlocked mount so the new Hot Air Balloon or the most recently tamed creature appears first after this hotfix.
Restored the Focused Aerial Roll flight speed to its pre-1.04 value. The slower speed that shipped with 1.04 was not intended and has been rolled back.
Focused Aerial Roll is now multidirectional. Pressing left, right, back, or forward during the focus input rolls the character in that direction rather than only continuing along the original facing.
Focus charge now fills approximately twice as fast, so a full bar accumulates in the time that previously filled half a bar. Players can therefore string more airborne Aerial Roll rolls together during a single flight.
Controls and Fixes
Fixed furniture placement during Housing mode with keyboard and mouse. Placement now registers reliably without requiring controller input.
Version 1.04.02
A follow-up update that opens the new Greymane Contribution shop, stabilizes placed furniture across camp relocations, and bundles a handful of cutscene and UI fixes.
Greymane Contribution Shop
The camp provisioner at Greymane Camp has opened a contribution shop. The first two listings are the Greymane Cloth Armor chest piece for six contribution points and a matching Greymane Cloak for seven contribution points.
Both items can be sold back to the same vendor for the same number of contribution points they cost, so players can experiment with the outfit without losing progress. Other slots of the set have not yet appeared in the shop.
Housing and Camp Persistence
Furniture placed in the player's house at Greymane Camp is no longer wiped when the camp is expanded. Items remain in place after construction finishes and can still be retrieved if the house layout is changed in Housing mode.
When the camp relocates to Pailune, any furniture that had been placed in the previous house travels with the move and is re-stocked in the new residence so players do not need to re-place every piece after a camp move.
Other Fixes
A small collection of minor cutscene-speed and UI fixes ship with this update, including a fix for the no-death-during-cutscene guard that had occasionally failed. Refer to the official patch notes for the full minor-change list.
Known Issues (as of Version 1.00.04)
Pearl Abyss acknowledged the following issues as known problems remaining after the Day One patch. The studio stated it is actively working on fixes and encouraged players to report additional bugs through official channels.
Issue | Description | Category |
|---|---|---|
Abyss visible from overworld | In certain areas, the Abyss can be seen from below the overworld terrain, causing frame rate drops when looking in that direction. | Performance |
Blackstar health recovery failure | During the "Deferred Advance" quest, retrying or abandoning the Ultimate Weapon fight when Blackstar's health is depleted causes Blackstar's health to not fully recover on the next attempt. | Quest |
Fruit stealing freeze | Attempting to steal fruit at the back of a market stall causes the character to become unresponsive to all player input. Requires reloading a previous save. | Gameplay |
Tree damage clipping | When receiving damage while holding a tree, the character can become stuck to the tree and unable to move. | Gameplay |
During the Gregor, the Halberd of Carnage boss fight, if surrounding destructible objects are destroyed at the same moment the character dies, the character cannot be revived and progression is blocked. Requires reloading a previous save. | Boss Fight | |
Settings not saving | Under certain conditions, applied settings are not saved after using the restore defaults function. | UI |
Quest objective tracking | While progressing through some quests, the next objective is not automatically tracked on the HUD. Players must manually select the objective from the quest log. | Quest |
FSR 4 rain artifacts | When using AMD FSR 4 upscaling, raindrops may disappear during rainy weather, or the screen may display blurriness and visual distortion. | Graphics |
PS5 Map menu crash | On PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, using the Map menu can sometimes cause the game to crash to the system dashboard. Reopening the game and loading the last save is the only workaround. | Stability |
Xbox ROG Ally launch failure | The game cannot be launched properly on Xbox ROG Ally and certain Xbox PC configurations. Players on affected hardware are unable to get past the initial loading screen. | Platform |
Steam pre-order bonus claims | Steam pre-order purchasers were initially unable to claim their pre-order bonus and Deluxe Pack items from the in-game Supply Chest. Pearl Abyss issued a fix and instructed players to restart their game and check the Add-ons menu. | |
Collector's Edition ultimate pack | Collector's Edition Steam purchasers were unable to claim their Ultimate Pack items. Pearl Abyss acknowledged the issue and deployed a server-side fix. |
PlayStation Two-Part Deployment
On PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, the Day One patch was delivered as two sequential updates rather than a single download. Version 1.00.01 (client update 1.000.142) was available at launch and contained the majority of the fixes listed above. Version 1.00.02 (client update 1.000.143) followed on March 19, 2026, at 01:00 UTC and added the remaining changes.
The items exclusive to the PlayStation 1.00.02 portion were:
The faster cutscene fast-forward functionality
The Tenebrum Chapter 4 boss fight puzzle skip on death
All other changes from the full patch notes, including the skill additions, boss balance adjustments, NPC fixes, and performance optimizations, were included in the first part (1.00.01). Players who downloaded both updates received the identical experience to Steam users running Version 1.00.02.
Platform-Specific Notes
While the core patch content was identical across platforms, certain issues and behaviors varied by platform.
Platform | Notes |
|---|---|
Steam (PC) | Received the full Version 1.00.02 patch as a single 3.1 GB download on March 19, 2026, at 22:20 UTC. All changes were available before the global unlock. Steam users also encountered the pre-order bonus claim issue, which was resolved by restarting the game. |
PlayStation 5 / PS5 Pro | Received the patch in two parts: Version 1.00.01 (client update 1.000.142) at launch, and Version 1.00.02 (client update 1.000.143) on March 19 at 01:00 UTC. The PS5 also has a known Map menu crash issue not reported on other platforms. Some players noted blurry visuals on base PS5 compared to PS5 Pro. |
Xbox Series X|S | The full patch was scheduled for a later date after launch. Xbox players on ROG Ally and certain PC configurations reported being unable to launch the game entirely. |
Epic Games Store | The full patch was scheduled for a later date after launch. No platform-specific issues were reported beyond the delayed rollout. |
Mac App Store | The full patch was scheduled for a later date after launch. Mac-specific performance characteristics have not been widely reported. |
How to Update
Crimson Desert patches download automatically on all platforms when the console or PC client is connected to the internet. On Steam, updates are applied before the game launches. On PlayStation, updates download in the background and install when the game is next started. If an update does not appear automatically, players can manually check for updates through their platform's game library.
The game can be played offline after all patches have been installed. No internet connection is required for gameplay itself, as Crimson Desert is a fully single-player experience. However, features like the Multiplayer mode, if added in a future update, would require an active connection.
April-June 2026 Developer Update
In April 2026, Pearl Abyss released a developer update video outlining a series of features and improvements planned for rollout between April and June 2026. These changes span combat, quality of life, customization, and world design. All names and details described below are tentative and subject to change before final release.
Boss Rematches
Players will be able to re-fight any boss they have previously encountered. This feature is designed for players who want to test new builds, practice combat techniques, or simply revisit challenging encounters. It provides a way to measure how much a character has grown since the original fight.
Reblockading
After liberating enemy camps and outposts, those locations currently remain empty. Reblockading will allow enemies to reclaim previously cleared locations, repopulating them with hostile forces. This addresses a common endgame complaint: once all locations have been liberated, there are few enemies left to fight in the open world. With Reblockading, players gain repeatable combat content and additional farming opportunities.
Difficulty Settings
Pearl Abyss announced that selectable difficulty settings will be added to the game. Players will be able to choose between easy, normal, and hard difficulty options. This change was driven by community feedback, particularly from newer players who found certain early bosses and enemy camps too challenging. At launch, the game shipped with a single fixed difficulty curve.
New Character Skills
Damiane and Oongka will each receive new abilities comparable to Kliff's Force Palm and Axiom Force. Community feedback highlighted that Kliff's utility skills gave him a significant advantage for exploration and puzzle-solving, making him the default choice for roughly 90% of gameplay. These new skills aim to bring Damiane and Oongka up to parity.
Cosmetic and Equipment Options
Hide back weapons: Players will be able to toggle the visibility of weapons displayed on the character's back, preventing sheathed weapons from clipping through outfits or breaking visual immersion during exploration.
Wearable outfits: Outfits that were previously only available as sell or donate options can now be equipped and worn by the player character.
Specialized Storage
Several new storage types will be introduced to help organize inventory:
Food storage: Dedicated storage for consumable food items.
Wardrobe: Stores headgear, armor, gloves, footwear, and cloaks separately from general inventory.
Gatherable storage: Holds crafting materials collected from gathering nodes.
Collection storage: Stores quest items and recipes.
Mounts and Pets
The update will introduce more summonable mounts and new pets. Mount armor will also be extended to non-horse mounts, allowing players to customize the appearance and protection of a wider range of rideable creatures.
UI and Controls
A minimum font size option will be added for improved readability.
Map, inventory, and housing interfaces will receive usability improvements.
Controller customization options will be expanded.
Keyboard and mouse key bindings will support additional keys and remapping.
Visual and Audio
Improved distant scenery quality with more detailed backgrounds visible at range.
The official Crimson Desert original soundtrack (OST) will be released for free on Steam and major music streaming platforms.
Future Updates
As of April 4, 2026, Pearl Abyss has released nine post-launch patches (1.00.02 through 1.02.00) within the first seventeen days. The studio has maintained a rapid update cadence, often shipping hotfixes within 24 to 48 hours of major bug reports and delivering larger quality-of-life updates on a roughly weekly basis. Pearl Abyss has not announced a specific roadmap or timeline for future patches but has committed to ongoing improvements based on community feedback. Features such as hiding the weapon displayed on the character's back and flight teleportation have been confirmed as planned for upcoming updates.
For information about potential downloadable content and expansion plans, see the DLC page. For answers to common questions about the game's platforms, editions, and features, see the FAQs page.