Pearl Abyss, the studio behind Crimson Desert, says it is expanding its use of AI “throughout our entire development pipeline.” The line comes from the company’s third-quarter earnings letter, published November 12, which also puts a launch window on its next game: DokeV is targeted for the second half of 2028.
The same letter confirms a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Crimson Desert for the first half of 2027, says the studio is researching multiplayer, and shows how quickly sales have cooled since launch.
Pearl Abyss uses AI for repetitive tasks, content creation support and testing
Asked about its plans for AI, Pearl Abyss wrote that it is “integrating AI technologies to enhance development productivity and overall quality.” It named three uses and one direction of travel:
AI is being utilized across various stages of development, including the automation of repetitive tasks, content creation support, and test optimization, and we are expanding its implementation throughout our entire development pipeline.
The studio added that it views AI “not as a substitute for human developers, but as a tool to elevate development efficiency and quality,” and that it will keep expanding its use to get “higher-fidelity games to the market more expeditiously.”
On DokeV, AI tests design ideas before anyone builds them
The letter gives one concrete example. Pearl Abyss says it used to validate game systems only after building them by hand. On DokeV it now uses AI “to rapidly validate diverse design concepts prior to actual implementation,” which it says frees up development resources and speeds up production.
It then draws a line around that use:
AI serves strictly as a tool to support concept validation and pipeline productivity, while the core gameplay experience and actual content creation remain fully driven by our development team.
“Content creation support” in one answer and content creation “fully driven by our development team” in another leaves room for interpretation, and the letter does not spell out where support ends.
DokeV is targeted for the second half of 2028, with demos from late 2027
DokeV was first revealed in 2019. Pearl Abyss now lays out three steps:
- A development update before the end of 2026.
- Full-scale marketing, including hands-on demos, starting around the second half of 2027.
- Launch in the second half of 2028.
The company describes DokeV as an open-world action-adventure in a new universe where players “grow alongside goblins,” and says more of its developers have moved onto the game now that Crimson Desert’s DLC is out. Plan 8, the studio’s other announced project, stays behind DokeV in the queue. Pearl Abyss says it wants a major release every two to three years.
Crimson Desert sold about 680,000 copies in the quarter as revenue fell 70%
Crimson Desert sold approximately 0.68 million copies between July and September. Revenue from the game was 40.6 billion won, down 70.2% from the previous quarter, and the average selling price slipped to about 59,000 won after the game’s first discount and a stronger Korean won.
Company-wide, revenue was 101.5 billion won, down 47.3% from the second quarter, and operating profit was 20.7 billion won, down 69.4%. Pearl Abyss warned that the fourth quarter “may fall slightly short of guidance” because of the exchange rate. Headcount ended the quarter at 996, down 3.8%, which the company puts down to short-term Crimson Desert staff and interns finishing, and it plans to hire only essential positions for the rest of 2026.
There is better news on the DLC. Pearl Abyss says Charting the Unknown reached 8th place on Steam on launch day, is showing “steady sales momentum,” and has lifted base game sales with it.
A Switch 2 version is due in the first half of 2027, and multiplayer is being researched
The letter’s question-and-answer section covers where Crimson Desert goes next:
- Nintendo Switch 2: targeted for the first half of 2027, and currently in its optimization phase.
- Multiplayer: Pearl Abyss says the game has “strong potential for long-term expansion into multiplayer” and that it is researching technical feasibility and gameplay. Nothing is committed.
- More DLC: not the priority. The studio says its focus is on its next titles and it will weigh follow-up projects later.
- Mobile: no plans for a mobile version.
- China: no concrete plans to apply for a publishing license.
Pearl Abyss also set out a longer-term goal for its BlackSpace Engine: a user-generated content platform where players and creators build alongside the studio.
