Crimson Desert was one of the most anticipated games set to launch in 2026 and after years of waiting, it's finally out on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. We gave it a 7 out of 10 in the Game Informer Crimson Desert review, and you can read that to learn more about our impressions of this RPG as a whole, but given the breadth of its vast open world, we also wanted to break down how it runs on consoles. 

If you're interested in how the game runs on PC, well, to keep it short, that's the best place to play Crimson Desert. But that's not necessarily surprising, especially for third-party games such as this. If you have a beefy PC, you can make Crimson Desert shine, and given the game's wide-ranging optimization on PC, there's a good chance the game will still look good even with an older graphics card. It's more challenging to determine how well a game runs on PC, given the wide variation in PCs from player to player, whether it's video cards, CPUs, or something else. That's the appeal of console gaming – games are (usually) good to go out of the box, per se, and don't require the tinkering that comes with playing on PC. 

As such, my colleague and Game Informer executive editor Kyle Hilliard and I are writing up this story here to tell you how the game runs on consoles. You can read my PlayStation 5 Pro impressions below, and Kyle's Xbox Series X impressions beneath that. 

Crimson Desert PlayStation 5 Pro Performance 

 

I'll describe my time with the game's performance here, but if you're here for a quick look, the gallery above features a screenshot, taken at the same time and spot in the game, in Performance mode, Balanced mode, and Quality mode. Obviously, a big aspect of these various modes is the FPS of Crimson Desert, but that doesn't come through in screenshots so these images should give you an idea of the resolution of the game in each mode. For reference, Performance mode is 1080p, Balanced is 1440p, and Quality is 4K. 

Furthermore, the Performance mode runs at 1080p/60FPS, Balanced at 1440p/40FPS, and Quality at 4K/30FPS. 

I've toyed around with each setting and I'll say this: VRR seems quite necessary to enjoy this game at its best. Regardless of the mode, but especially in Performance and Balanced, when I turned VRR off, there was a great deal of screen tearing. Even in low-population areas, the screen tearing was apparent. As such, if you have a TV with VRR (I am using an LG C-model OLED TV), you should absolutely play with it on. With that on, the screen tearing disappears, naturally. 

Performance Mode – Crimson Desert on PS5 Pro

However, screen tearing aside, I noticed a lot of environmental pop-in in the mid-range of your view at any given time on screen in Performance and Balanced mode. In Quality mode, pop-in was reduced to essentially zero. In the other two modes, though, there is a distracting amount of foliage pop-in and an even more distracting amount of terrain load-in. It's quite odd in that the mountainous rocks didn't necessarily pop in out of nowhere, but they almost morphed onto the screen. The resulting effect is a very jarring experience. I liken it to noticing something moving out of the corner of your eye – you're watching Kliff, the main character, from a third-person perspective, so your attention is on him, but in your periphery, you'll see a lot of movement in the cliffs of mountains, the leaves of forests, etc. I don't like it. 

I tried turning off 120Hz mode on my TV because I've seen some online suggest doing that to enhance your picture, but, truthfully, it changed very little for me. It might have sharpened the image up a bit (I won't pretend to know why), but my main issue with the visuals – the pop-in – remained. It's unfortunate because the 60FPS of the Performance mode, and the 40FPS of the Balanced mode, are actually quite stable in the game's opening hours. That said, I have read online that the FPS struggles to remain stable in more populated areas of the game, such as robust city villages and large-scale battles. 

Balanced Mode – Crimson Desert PS5 Pro

With all this taken into account, the best mode for now seems to be Quality mode, with a well-implemented 4K resolution and a stable 30FPS. Unfortunately, 30 FPS isn't the move for an action game like this, so ultimately this is a lose-lose situation for me. I can, of course, get over the pop-in of Performance and Balanced as I've certainly done it for games before (ahem, Pokémon Violet), but it's obviously not ideal and further proof that this game was probably optimized for PCs first before anything else. Developer Pearl Abyss has already released a patch to address some visual issues, so I suspect the game will be running better in a month than it is today. 

Quality Mode – Crimson Desert PS5 Pro

To sum up my thoughts: there's nothing particularly atrocious about the game's visual issues, but there's no obvious choice for which mode to play in. It depends on what you favor and prefer in open-world single-player RPGs: gorgeous resolution with a stable but lower framerate (Quality), or a higher framerate with blurrier resolution but lots of strange artifacting and pop-in (Performance or Balanced).

Crimson Desert Xbox Series X Performance

On Xbox Series X, much of the issues outlined above persist on Microsoft's platform. In a complimentary way, the game seems to have parity on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 Pro based on comparing Wes and I's experiences.

 

Like the PlayStation 5 Pro screenshots, the gallery above similarly showcases screenshots taken at the same spot in the game in Performance, Balanced, and Quality mode in that order.

I also saw improvements when toggling on the VRR setting, but compared to Wes' PlayStation experience, I didn't encounter much screen tearing. Environmental pop-in, however, was a distracting issue. But not nearly as distracting as protagonist Kliff's beard. On any of the settings, but especially Performance (more or less my universal setting of choice when given the option), Kliff's beard and other elements of fur and hair look fractured and low-resolution.

But far and away my biggest issue was the noticeable lag time between pressing a button and seeing that action performed on-screen. Scrolling through menus is particularly slow and the few combat encounters I engaged in became less about pulling off combos and expert blocking and more about tapping RB to swing my sword as much as possible and hoping the enemy would die before I did. It felt like I was issuing battle commands to a Pokémon more than engaging with combat myself.

Crimson Desert on Xbox Series X/S. Don't look too closely at the beard.

The game, however, does look impressive in moments where you stop and taking it in. The screenshots above were taken from a moment when an NPC encourages you to slow down and take a look at the view. And when the environment did finish popping in, I fully admit being impressed by how far in the distance I could see and how great it looked.

Like Wes wrote above, Developer Pearl Abyss is already patching both the console and PC versions of the game to address some visual issues. It's fair to hope that even in the coming weeks, the game will be running and looking better. But it seems, for the moment at least, PC, unsurprisingly, is going to be your best bet  if you have the rig to handle it.

One of the biggest releases of early 2026 is out now, and The Game Informer Show crew is here to dig into all of it. Contributor Hayes Madsen, the writer of our Crimson Desert review, joins Marcus and Eric to talk about Pearl Abyss' plunge into single-player open-world action, and whether all the sights and sounds make up a memorable experience or not.

Then, Marcus takes the war to the bugs in Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War. And after a quick break, Hayes highlights the short-but-sweet RPG Etrange Overlord, and Marcus and Eric check in on their Pokemon Pokopia progress. It's another packed week on the podcast, so grab a cold drink and settle in!

The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry.

Watch or listen to the podcast:

Listen to "Crimson Desert Review And More w/ Hayes Madsen" on Spreaker.

Follow our hosts and guests online:

• Marcus Stewart (@marcusstewart7)
• Eric Van Allen (@seamoosi)
• Hayes Madsen (@solfleet)

Jump ahead to specific sections here:

00:00 - Intro

06:46 - Crimson Desert

48:27 - Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!

1:03:24 - Etrange Overlord

1:13:37 - Pokemon Pokopia

Welcome to the weekend! Surely it can't be Friday already? It was just Friday like five days ago. Well, we're happy to welcome it early as we consider our weekend video game plans which double as a suggestion for what to play this weekend. You can read our Crimson Desert review here, but many of the rest of us on staff are curious about it and eager to dive in. There's also MLB The Show 26 for the sports fans, Ghost of Yōtei Legends for the co-op fans, and more.

And hey – outside of the world of video games, Matt Miller and I accepted an invite to the grand opening of our new local Lakeville, Minnesota IMAX theatre to see Project Hail Mary (I also dragged along former GI editor Ben Reeves as my plus one), and you know what? Good movie! I recommend it. I think I may have even enjoyed it more than the book. Check back with me in a few months to see if I still feel that way.

Game Informer editor in chief Matt Miller (left), former GI editor and Firaxis writer Ben Reeves (center), and executive editor Kyle Hilliard (right) hanging out with a big picture of Ryan Gosling.

But now it's time for the weekend and our usual recommendation of games and things you should check out! But before that, here's a recap of the biggest stories of the week:

• Crimson Desert Review - Open-World Overload
• Marathon – Review In Progress
• World of Warcraft: Midnight Review - Home Is Where The Hearth Is
• The Top 10 Nintendo Switch 2 Games
• Switch 2 Update Allows Switch Games To Run In TV Mode While In Handheld Mode
• The Best And Worst Video Game Pies

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PC, Mac
Publisher: Activision Blizzard
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Release: March 2, 2026

Blizzard’s hot streak continues with Midnight, World of Warcraft’s latest expansion, which further builds atop (and below) the world of Azeroth. The main storyline offers poignant commentary on religion, family conflict, and generational trauma through its well-written characters. The long-requested housing feature finally debuts, offering impressive building and customization systems and introducing a new reward vector that enriches almost every activity in the game: decor collecting. Furthermore, Blizzard’s reimagining of older zones like Quel’Thalas and Zul’Aman makes them a delight to revisit; I get as much enjoyment exploring these revamped locations as I do new places. While I still have many more hours ahead as I explore the full breadth of Midnight’s endgame activities, the expansion’s new core features and questing experience are stronger than ever. 

Serving as the middle chapter in The World Soul Saga trilogy, Midnight keeps the spotlight on antagonist Xal’atath, who has sundered the skies above the Blood Elves’ homeland as her void army, The Devouring Host, assaults The Sunwell, a fount of arcane and light energy that’s sacred to the elves for its beneficial effects on their society. The narrative sends players on an exciting tour of a revitalized Quel’Thalas, first introduced 20 years ago in The Burning Crusade, its many locations brimming with new activity as they reflect years of prosperous change. 

The capital city of the Amani Trolls, called Zul’Aman, was previously only an instanced dungeon. However, Blizzard has expanded Zul’Aman into a full zone with breathtaking, moody vistas. Ancient pine trees jut out from the fog-ridden landscape, their natural beauty contrasting the cold, carved stone ruins of a once-thriving troll empire. Impressively, the whirling voidstorm above the Sunwell is visible from both neighboring zones, a vibrant showcase of Blizzard’s skybox tools as well as an excellent grounding mechanism. 

We once again assume a supporting role in the political stories of Azeroth’s denizens, as Midnight’s story centers on themes of generational loss and the long-lasting results of war. Characters like Zul’Jarra, granddaughter of a notable Amani patriarch, and Arator, a Blood Elf paladin struggling to follow in his father’s footsteps, represent a new generation of leaders whose reluctance for bloodshed is in stark contrast to their elders’ past conquests. 

Upon completing significant quests, most characters offer an option to “stay awhile and listen,” granting agency as to whether you’d like to hear more exposition or to keep the adventure moving. Most of these optional conversations are worth hearing, often serving as a lens into deeper emotions and motivations, though some conversations feel like nothing more than exposition dumps. It’s nice to have the choice, regardless. 

 

My favorite feature, player housing, fundamentally improves World of Warcraft by giving adventurers their own plot of land to build a house and showcase their creativity and relics of their achievements. Nearly every activity in Midnight rewards players with new housing decorations; even legacy professions, dungeons, and raids grant new rewards, giving good reason to interact with decades-old content. 

Players can place decor with a simple grid system; the advanced building mode enables 3D gizmos to manipulate an object’s scale, rotation, and position data. The latter provides all the tools necessary to kitbash disparate objects into new ones. For example, clipping a stone fountain into the wall can make for a stylish bathtub, or you can shrink a cooking fire and hide it in a metal box to make a rudimentary cooking appliance. This process is an incredible creative exercise and gives the same sense of satisfaction I might get from solving a complex puzzle. 

While I’m still working my way through endgame content, including several raids, battlegrounds, and a target-hunting Prey system, Midnight’s core experience is great. As the second entry in a trilogy, Midnight effectively fleshes out returning characters and blurs the line between good and evil in interesting ways. Ending on a dark note, this middle chapter creates more questions than answers, and serves as a great staging ground for the story’s final act. While the conclusion is still years away, I’ll happily devote that time to decorating and, inevitably, renovating my new abode. Now more than ever, Azeroth feels like a home away from home. 

Score: 9

About Game Informer's review system

Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics announced another wave of layoffs yesterday, following a restructure that began last year. 20 employees have been affected.

The studio announced on LinkedIn that the cut staff members were “split between some development personnel and some central operations roles.” A section of its post reads, “As our current projects move into new phases of development, we continuously take a hard look at our team structures to ensure they align with our long-term studio goals. While we always strive to transition our people into new roles whenever possible, we have unfortunately reached a point where these departures are necessary.” Crystal Dynamics says it will support departing staff with severance and job placement assistance. 

Crystal Dynamics adds that it remains “fully committed” to the development of its two announced Tomb Raider games: Legacy of Atlantis, a remake of the first Tomb Raider scheduled to launch this year, and Catalyst, a brand-new entry coming in 2027. Both titles were announced at The Game Awards 2025 and are seemingly unaffected by the layoffs. 

Last August, Crystal Dynamics laid off staff in an effort to “ensure the long-term health of our studio and core creative priorities in a continually shifting market.” The layoffs were presumed to stem from the cancellation of Rare’s reboot of Perfect Dark, which Crystal Dynamics was assisting with, but this was not confirmed by the studio.

For more on Tomb Raider, you can read more about how Tomb Raider: Catalyst and Legacy of Atlantis fit with the series timeline.