Pearl Abyss saw a dramatic increase in operating revenue in the first quarter of 2026, driven mainly by its newly released game Crimson Desert. The game launched on March 19 for PC and consoles and quickly became a major hit worldwide [1, 2].
The company reported operating revenue of ₩328.5 billion (about $220 million) and operating profit of ₩212.1 billion (around $142 million) in Q1 2026, marking a 419.8% year-on-year increase [1]. According to another report, Crimson Desert alone generated KRW 266.5 billion (approximately $178.8 million) in sales during the quarter [2].
Sales of Crimson Desert split roughly evenly between PC and consoles, with more than 80% coming from North America and Europe [1, 2]. Since its launch, Pearl Abyss has provided nearly weekly major updates to the game [2].
Pearl Abyss employs 1,024 staff, and some contractors who were hired specifically for the Crimson Desert launch are expected to leave soon [2]. The company expects revenue from Crimson Desert and its other major title Black Desert to soften later in 2026 [1, 2].
The developer plans to release new games every two to three years, with DokeV and Plan 8 currently in development [1]. It is also considering downloadable content (DLC) expansions for Crimson Desert [1, 2].
For the full year 2026, Pearl Abyss projects Crimson Desert revenue of KRW 644.1 billion to 734.8 billion ($432.2 million to $514.4 million) [2].
The company’s next key milestone is the release of additional content for Crimson Desert, with DLC options under consideration alongside ongoing regular updates [1, 2].
