Crimson Desert Open Beta Playtest Announced

Pearl Abyss has officially announced a PC open beta playtest for Crimson Desert, giving players their first real chance to get hands-on with the game ahead of its 2027 release window.

Dates & how to sign up

The playtest is scheduled as an open weekend event on PC. Sign-up is done free through the official Steam page — no code or lottery required — and progress made during the playtest will not carry over to the full release.

• Platform: PC (Steam)
• Sign-up: free via the Steam store page
• Access: open — anyone can join during the window
• Progress: does not carry over to launch

What you’ll be able to test

Based on what Pearl Abyss has shown, the playtest should let players explore a slice of the Pywel open world, sample the character creator, and take on field bosses in the co-op Adventure mode. How much of the campaign is playable remains unclear, but even a short taste of that combat is worth clearing your weekend for.

Before you jump in

Crimson Desert is a demanding title. Before the playtest, check the system requirements and run our free system check to confirm your PC can handle it — and make sure your graphics drivers are up to date.