Pearl Abyss's Crimson Desert will launch on March 20 with Denuvo DRM, the studio confirmed in a recent Steam News post. Players can preload the game 24-48 hours before launch, starting March 17 or 18 depending on region, with the official release hitting at 10 PM UTC on March 19. The game will require an internet connection on day one for a mandatory patch, even though it supports offline play.

Denuvo's inclusion raises questions about performance, particularly given Pearl Abyss's surprisingly low hardware requirements announced earlier this week. While DRM services like Denuvo have historically caused performance issues even on high-end systems, the studio's minimum specs suggest the game was tested with DRM in place. Linux gamers will find the Denuvo addition disappointing, as it's generally unpopular in that community, though Pearl Abyss hasn't addressed Steam Deck or Linux compatibility.

The studio also confirmed no cross-platform save support at launch, with no plans to add it later. On the positive side, Crimson Desert will support FSR 3 and 4, DLSS 4 and 4.5, Ray Regeneration and Ray Reconstruction on PC, plus enhanced features on PS5 Pro and PS5. These technical specifications suggest Pearl Abyss is prioritizing visual fidelity despite the DRM controversy.