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- Sony offered a timed exclusivity deal for Pearl Abyss’ upcoming game, Crimson Desert.
- Pearl Abyss declined the offer and will self-publish Crimson Desert to reach a wider audience without platform limitations.
- Sony believed the game could achieve the same success as Ghost of Tsushima if it obtained exclusivity.
South Korean game developer Pearl Abyss has reportedly decided not to accept an exclusivity deal from Sony for their upcoming game, Crimson Desert. This deal would have stopped the game from being released on Xbox for a certain period.
The decision was made during a presentation at Kiwoom Corp. Day on September 26, 2024.
Why it matters: The Korean government is heavily focusing on funding more AAA titles after Stellar Blade’s success. It appears Sony wants to secure exclusive deals for gaming coming out of the region.
Pearl Abyss revealed that Sony offered a timed exclusivity deal to boost the PlayStation lineup. This is part of Sony’s growing interest in working with South Korean developers, like their previous partnership with Shift Up for Stellar Blade.
However, Pearl Abyss turned down the offer and chose to self-publish Crimson Desert. The studio believes self-publishing will give them more flexibility and profit, helping the game reach a wider audience without any platform limits.
Crimson Desert was first shown at The Game Awards 2020 and has attracted a lot of attention for its beautiful graphics and large open world. During development, Pearl Abyss took inspiration from popular games like The Witcher 3 for its story and design.
Sony even compared its atmosphere to Ghost of Tsushima, which has sold over 10 million copies. The company believes Crimson Desert will achieve the same level of success as Ghost of Tsushima if they were to secure the exclusivity deal.
Pearl Abyss’ choice shows a new trend in the gaming industry, where developers want to keep more control over their games and how they are sold, as seen with Square Enix.
By self-publishing, the studio can launch the game on several platforms, including Xbox, PC, and PlayStation, which helps them reach a larger audience and increase their revenue.
On the other hand, Sony has been busy forming partnerships with Korean developers to strengthen its game lineup, as shown with titles like Stellar Blade. However, Pearl Abyss’ decision to focus on self-publishing shows developers are looking for more independence from timed exclusivity deals.
Crimson Desert will be released sometime in Q2-2025 after another major delay on Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC.
What are your thoughts on Pearl Abyss rejecting Sony’s exclusivity deal? Bad decision, or a smart move? Join the discussion on Tech4Gamers Forum.
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