Pearl Abyss, the developer behind Crimson Desert, has teased fans that a Nintendo Switch 2 port of the game is not only well underway, but could arrive as early as the first half of 2027 if development continues smoothly.
Crimson Desert launched back in April 2026 for PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. It proved to be one of the most ambitious games of the generation, cramming a huge open world full of quests, NPCs and puzzles to complete.
Even if it didn’t quite land critically with a lot of outlets – we actually gave it a perfect 5/5 score – its technical prowess couldn’t be denied. Although some savvy gamers have managed to get the game running on handheld devices like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally X, it’s undeniably a game that runs best on a beefy machine.
Despite that, the developer of Crimson Desert has been adamant that it wants to get the game running on ‘as many platforms as possible’. “We are reviewing the Nintendo Switch 2, and it is currently being developed to a level where basic gameplay is possible,” Pearl Abyss CEO Heo Jin-Young said in a recent Q&A.
“However, platform expansion is not just a simple port; the key is whether we can fully maintain the graphics, action, and open-world experience of Crimson Desert on that device. The Switch 2 version still requires optimization and technical verification, and we must also review partner collaboration and whether it meets our quality standards.”
Fast forward to this week, and the company’s most recent earnings letter has shed a little more light on when players might expect Crimson Desert to hit the Nintendo Switch 2.
“While it is difficult to confirm a definitive launch schedule at this time, we are working toward a release targeted for the first half of 2027,” the letter reads. “We will provide updates through our official channels once details are finalized.”
The first half of 2027 might seem a while away, but given how many other massive games we have coming out between now and then, it’s unlikely that players will be bored until then. September, October and February are already stacked, with the shadow of GTA 6 looming over much of November and December – and let’s be honest, January too.
The question is, would you take the opportunity to play Crimson Desert on Nintendo Switch 2, or would you stick to playing it on a more powerful machine?