Overview
Crimson Desert supports 15 languages for interface text and subtitles, 8 of which include full voice acting. Pearl Abyss confirmed that all voice acting in the game is performed by human actors, with no AI-generated voices anywhere in the game. The language line-up expanded significantly with the Crimson Desert Enhanced update on August 25, 2026.
Supported Languages
The table below reflects the language support in place after version 2.00.00. Fifteen languages are available for interface menus and subtitles, and eight of them carry a full voice dub. Korean, English and Simplified Chinese were the original three audio languages at launch; French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Brazilian Portuguese were added on August 25, 2026, and Arabic joined as a text and interface language on the same date.
Language | Interface | Subtitles | Full Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
English | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Korean | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Simplified Chinese | Yes | Yes | Yes |
French | Yes | Yes | Yes (added 2.00.00) |
German | Yes | Yes | Yes (added 2.00.00) |
Spanish (Spain) | Yes | Yes | Yes (added 2.00.00) |
Japanese | Yes | Yes | Yes (added 2.00.00) |
Brazilian Portuguese | Yes | Yes | Yes (added 2.00.00) |
Traditional Chinese | Yes | Yes | No |
Spanish (Latin America) | Yes | Yes | No |
Italian | Yes | Yes | No |
Polish | Yes | Yes | No |
Russian | Yes | Yes | No |
Turkish | Yes | Yes | No |
Arabic | Yes (added 2.00.00) | Yes (added 2.00.00) | No |
Italian, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Spanish (Latin America), Traditional Chinese and Arabic have full interface and subtitle localization but no voice dubbing. Players using those languages hear one of the eight dubbed audio tracks with subtitles displayed in their chosen language. French moved from subtitles-only to full voice acting in version 2.00.00.
Version 2.00.00 Language Additions
Version 2.00.00 added five voice languages and one text language. Update the game before selecting them. Installation steps vary by platform: some platforms download the chosen language data separately, while the Mac App Store version makes all supported languages available in the game settings after installing the Enhanced update.
Type | Languages Added |
|---|---|
Full voice-over | German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese |
Interface and subtitles | Arabic |
On Steam, choose the language in the game's Properties panel, then start the game to download that language's data. After the download, choose the game and voice language under Menu > Others > Settings > Language and Audio. On the Mac App Store version, install the Enhanced update and use that same in-game menu to choose from all supported languages.
Voice Acting Details
Will Powers confirmed the core voice acting languages in a developer interview: "There is voice acting in the game across multiple languages. Korean, English, Chinese, I think right now... but 13 different text localization." He noted that the count may be higher and directed players to the Steam store page for the full list.
Voice acting covers "all mainline NPC" dialogue, including story characters, quest givers, and important side characters. Powers was careful not to claim 100% coverage, noting that some minor NPCs may have limited or no spoken dialogue. The English voice cast was revealed on February 25, 2026, through a "Behind the Voices" video at a fan-fest event, featuring actors like Alec Newman (Kliff), Rebecca Hanssen (Damiane), Stewart Scudamore (Oongka), Peter Bramhill (Yann), Emily Barber (Naira), and Alastair Parker (Myurdin).
No AI-generated Voices
Pearl Abyss has explicitly confirmed that Crimson Desert uses no AI-generated voice acting. Every spoken line in every supported audio language was recorded by human actors in a traditional studio setting. This commitment was highlighted in multiple press interviews and the Behind the Voices video. In an industry increasingly exploring AI voice synthesis, Pearl Abyss chose to invest in full human performance across all audio languages.
Language settings
Players can independently select their text language and audio language from the options menu. This means any combination is possible: English voice acting with Japanese subtitles, Korean audio with German text, or any other pairing of the supported options. Language settings can be changed at any time without restarting the game.
Localization Scope
Will Powers described the localization effort as "a massive undertaking" given the game's scale: "It is a massive undertaking to localize a project like this just because of the sheer breadth of it... It's a huge undertaking that takes a long time." The game's development history notes that the August 2025 delay from Late 2025 to Q1 2026 was partially attributed to voice-over work and localization processes.
Localization covers all in-game text: menus, HUD elements, item descriptions, quest logs, dialogue subtitles, tutorial prompts, and loading screen tips. The Knowledge System codex entries, which track hundreds of discoveries across Pywel, are fully translated in all 15 supported language entries.
Physical edition language restrictions
Physical copies purchased outside the Asia region do not include Traditional Chinese or Simplified Chinese language support. Digital purchases through Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, or Xbox Store include all languages regardless of purchase region. Players who want Chinese language support should purchase the digital version or an Asian-region physical copy.
Storefront language labels
The game lists 15 interface and subtitle language entries, with full voice acting in 8. The Mac App Store displays 14 language labels; Steam lists Spanish for Spain and Latin America as separate entries, whereas the App Store uses a single Spanish label. Use the in-game language menu and the supported-language table above when choosing a language. A storefront label count is not evidence of support for additional game languages.