Digital Foundry Delivers First Footage of Crimson Desert on PS5 Pro

Digital Foundry has published the first detailed look at Crimson Desert running on PlayStation 5 Pro. Analyst John Linneman described the game as stunning and praised its ray tracing implementation. Water effects stand out in particular. The footage confirms the performance targets previously outlined by developer Pearl Abyss.

Pearl Abyss released console system requirements and mode details shortly before launch. The specifications cover Xbox Series S through PlayStation 5 Pro. Each platform lists Performance, Balanced, and Quality modes with corresponding resolution, target frame rate, and ray tracing quality levels. The developer provided these figures just over a week ahead of release.

On PS5 Pro, Performance mode aims for 60fps and largely achieves it. Linneman noted that the mode “puts up a good fight” and maintains the target “by and large.” He expressed surprise at the overall quality. Frame rates hold steady in most areas. Drops occur during sequences with large crowds, numerous NPCs, or many enemies. A significant early battle saw the frame rate fall into the 30s. Similar dips appear in large cities. These instances remain exceptions. Linneman emphasized that such drops do not represent normal gameplay.

The 30fps and 40fps modes deliver greater stability. Linneman recommends the 40fps or 60fps options. He found the 30fps mode less responsive than preferred and attributed the heavier feel to a deliberate design decision.

I see clear effort from Pearl Abyss to scale an ambitious open-world title across hardware tiers. I think the absence of base console footage this close to launch fuels unnecessary speculation among players.

Digital Foundry has not yet examined Crimson Desert on base PS5, Xbox Series X, or Xbox Series S. The analysis focused solely on the PS5 Pro build. Richard Leadbetter highlighted the game’s CPU demands but called overall performance across modes impressive. He pointed to the scale, scope, and systems-driven world as the real standout elements. The high-end PC version scales effectively to PS5 Pro. Both analysts look forward to console comparisons once other versions become available.

Pearl Abyss faced criticism from fans who claimed the publisher withheld console footage. Some drew comparisons to Cyberpunk 2077’s troubled launch. Spokesperson Will Powers addressed the concerns directly.

"We're not hiding anything, and I'm sick of having to repeat myself," Pearl Abyss spokesperson Will Powers said at the time. "I've repeated 100s of times that we'll reveal things ahead of launch to give people adequate time to still preorder the game for themselves. We're saying this openly... Let us cook? Please and thank you./rant"

The game launches in days. Digital Foundry acquired unrestricted access to the PS5 Pro version for this breakdown. No limitations applied to coverage.

Read also, Pearl Abyss details console performance modes for Crimson Desert ahead of imminent release.