Crimson Desert Could Be Coming to an Unexpected Platform

Following the hugely successful launch of Crimson Desert earlier this month, Pearl Abyss CEO Heo Jin-Young has now said the studio is looking into bringing the action-adventure title to the Nintendo Switch 2. Crimson Desert launched for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on March 19, and while many believed its vast open-world and endless features likely meant it was impossible to bring it to Nintendo’s newest console, Pearl Abyss says it’s begun researching the possibility.

Alongside the likes of Grand Theft Auto 6 and Marvel’s Wolverine, Crimson Desert was one of the most highly anticipated video game launches of the year. Although many have taken issue with the game’s clunky controls and lackluster story, Crimson Desert has been a massive success for Pearl Abyss. Earlier this week, the studio shared some updated sales figures for its newest release, confirming that Crimson Desert has now sold more than 3 million copies in less than a week.

Thousands of Crimson Desert Players Have Specific Cosmetic Requests for the Game

Crimson Desert players want more visual customization options, making their requests known on social media for Pearl Abyss to see.

Crimson Desert May Get a Nintendo Switch 2 Release

Post-launch support for Crimson Desert is now in full effect, as Pearl Abyss continues to work on new updates aimed at improving the overall experience for players. The studio is also seemingly looking at making Crimson Desert accessible to a whole new market of gamers, as CEO Heo Jin-Young confirms Pearl Abyss has begun research and development on bringing the title to the Nintendo Switch 2. During a recent shareholders meeting (via Nintendo Everything), the company’s CEO said, “Compared to other consoles, the Switch still has lower specifications, so there are things we would have to give up. Internally, we have begun [research and development] with interest.”

Balance the critic averages

Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)

Anybody who has already checked out Crimson Desert on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, or PC will know that bringing the title to Nintendo Switch 2 will be no easy task, likely requiring downscaled graphics, tons of optimizations, and some serious compromises. Its world is not only twice the size of Skyrim‘s, but it’s also even bigger than Red Dead Redemption 2‘s. The game’s graphics are some of the best to date, and countless gameplay features make Crimson Desert one of the most ambitious releases ever. The Nintendo Switch 2, of course, is far less powerful than other current-gen consoles, with a slower CPU that would make NPC density and open-world size very difficult, especially while in handheld mode.

However, this isn’t the first time that we’ve heard of a potential Nintendo Switch 2 version of Crimson Desert. Although there’s a strong chance it was simply a mistake, GameStop had previously listed the title under the “coming soon” section for the Nintendo Switch 2. This listing appeared in mid-2025, prior to a delay that pushed Crimson Desert into 2026. The title, of course, went on to launch earlier this year, but only for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

While Crimson Desert initially received mixed reviews from players, its user rating has continued to climb on both Steam and Metacritic. As of writing, Crimson Desert now has a mostly positive review score on Steam and a solid 8.6 rating on Metacritic. Pearl Abyss has committed to improving some of the most common complaints, such as its clunky controls, but it’s clear that this is a game not meant for everyone. Many have criticized the poor story and annoying characters, but others seem to enjoy the massive exploration that Crimson Desert has to offer.