Sony wanted Crimson Desert to be a PlayStation exclusive, but Pearl Abyss declined the offer

by Danny Craig Β· 10/22/24, 2:49 PM
Sony wanted Crimson Desert to be a PlayStation exclusive, but Pearl Abyss declined the offer
Pearl Abyss

Pearl Abyss, the developer of the upcoming action-adventure title Crimson Desert, has revealed that Sony approached the studio intending to make the game a timed exclusive for the PS5, but it chose to decline the offer.

The details:

  • Pearl Abyss confirmed at a recent investor meeting (translation by ResetEra user Neha) that Sony had approached it with the offer of making Crimson Desert a timed exclusive. The deal would have been similar to Final Fantasy XVI's, with the title locked to the PS5 for a year, no Xbox release, and Sony acquiring the rights to the PC version.

  • While the developer found the offer "appealing" due to Sony's "marketing power and various unique incentives," it decided to decline the deal and self-publish the game. The decision was made after assessing its expected sales and revenue-sharing structure and determining that self-publishing would be more beneficial for the studio.

  • Pearl Abyss mentioned fellow Korean developer Shift Up when explaining why it opted not to partner with Sony, stating that Shift Up did not have a publishing team, which made it easier for the studio to collaborate with PlayStation for Stellar Blade's release. "In a typical contract, 30 percent of revenue goes to platform fees, and the remaining 70 percent is split between the developer and publisher," the translation reads. "Since we already can self-publish globally and have overseas branches, we concluded that using our own resources would be more advantageous."

  • Crimson Desert has yet to receive a release date, but it is expected to arrive in the first half of 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC after being delayed internally last year. Pearl Abyss' other upcoming game, the PokΓ©mon-like DokeV, is set to be released about a year and a half after Crimson Desert, with 100 developers expected to join the project after the Crimson Desert's launch.

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