Crimson Desert is finally here, and for a lot of players, it has already delivered on that massive open-world promise. Still, like most big launches, a few rough edges have shown up early. If you are running into bugs, performance drops, or strange quest behavior, you are definitely not alone.
This Crimson Desert known issues guide breaks down every major problem currently reported, along with practical fixes and workarounds you can try right now. Some of these are temporary solutions, others are just ways to avoid getting stuck until official patches roll out. Either way, you should be able to get back to exploring Pywel without too much frustration.
Overview of Crimson Desert Known Issues
Since launch on March 19, 2026, players across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC have reported a range of issues. Most fall into a few categories:
- Performance and visual glitches
- Quest progression bugs
- Character control and interaction issues
- Platform specific launch or entitlement problems
Pearl Abyss has acknowledged these and is actively working on fixes, but until then, knowing how to deal with them is half the battle.
Performance and Visual Bugs
Abyss Visibility Causing Frame Drops
One of the more unusual issues involves the Abyss being visible from below the world in certain situations. It sounds minor, but it can cause noticeable frame rate drops.
How to Fix or Reduce It
- Restart the game when the issue appears
- Avoid lingering in affected areas for long periods
- Lower graphics settings slightly, especially draw distance and shadows
- On PC, switch between graphical modes or disable advanced upscaling temporarily
Honestly, this one is more of an engine-level issue, so there is no permanent fix yet. A quick restart usually clears it.
FSR4 Upscaling Issues in Rain
Using FSR4 in rainy environments can cause rain to disappear or make the screen look blurry or distorted. It is pretty distracting, especially during combat or exploration.
Workaround
- Disable FSR4 in graphics settings
- Switch to a different upscaling method or native resolution
- Reduce post processing effects if distortion persists
If you rely on FSR for performance, you might need to compromise here a bit. Either accept the visual bug or tweak settings until you find a balance.
Quest and Progression Bugs
Deferred Advance Quest Blackstar Health Bug
During the Deferred Advance quest, if you retry or abandon the Ultimate Weapon fight after Blackstar’s health hits zero, it may not fully recover.
How to Avoid or Fix It
- Avoid abandoning the fight after depleting Blackstar’s health
- Reload an earlier save if available
- Restart the quest entirely if the bug locks progression
This is one of the more serious Crimson Desert known issues since it can block progress. If you are heading into this fight, play it safe and commit to finishing it in one go.
Objectives Not Automatically Tracking
Some quests fail to auto track the next objective, leaving you unsure where to go next.
Fix
- Open the quest log and manually select the objective
- Toggle tracking off and on again
- Restart the game if tracking fails repeatedly
It is a small annoyance, but it can break immersion pretty quickly.
Character Control and Interaction Bugs
Character Gets Stuck When Stealing Fruit
Trying to steal fruit from the back of a stall can cause your character to become unresponsive.
Workaround
- Avoid interacting with fruit stalls from behind
- Approach from the front only
- If stuck, reload a checkpoint or restart the game
Yes, it is oddly specific, but it happens often enough to be worth mentioning.
Getting Stuck While Holding a Tree
If you take damage while holding a tree, your character can become stuck in place.
How to Fix It
- Avoid holding objects during combat
- Drop the tree immediately if enemies are nearby
- Reload the game if the character becomes permanently stuck
It sounds almost funny, but in the middle of a fight, it can ruin a run.
Boss Fight Breaking Bugs
Gregor, the Halberd of Carnage Bug
During this boss fight, if environmental objects are destroyed at the same moment your character dies, you may be unable to revive and continue.
Workaround
- Avoid fighting near destructible objects when low on health
- Focus on positioning during the fight
- Reload from last checkpoint if the revive fails
Boss fights are already intense, so dealing with a progression breaking bug on top of that is not ideal. Play cautiously here.
Settings and Save Issues
Settings Not Saving Properly
Some players report that settings revert after restoring defaults or restarting the game.
Fix
- Reapply settings and exit the game normally
- Avoid force closing the game
- On PC, check config files are not set to read only
If it keeps happening, it may be tied to a deeper profile issue that needs a patch.
Platform Specific Issues
Game Not Launching on Xbox ROG Ally and Xbox PC
There is currently an issue preventing the game from launching properly on certain Xbox PC setups, including ROG Ally devices.
Possible Fixes
- Update system software and drivers
- Verify game files
- Reinstall the game
- Launch in compatibility or safe mode if available
Right now, success with these fixes is mixed. This is one of the cases where waiting for an official update might be necessary.
Missing Pre-Order and Deluxe Items on Steam
Some players have been unable to claim their pre-order bonuses or deluxe edition items.
What You Can Do
- Restart the game and check in game mailbox or inventory
- Verify your purchase in Steam library
- Log out and back into your account
- Contact support if items still do not appear
The good news is this issue has already been marked as resolved for some users, so a fix is rolling out.
General Troubleshooting Tips
If you are dealing with issues not listed in this Crimson Desert known issues guide, try these general fixes:
- Restart the game and your system
- Keep the game updated with the latest patches
- Verify or repair game files on PC
- Clear cache where applicable
- Avoid multitasking heavily in the background on PC
You would be surprised how often a simple restart solves things. Not glamorous, but it works.
Final Thoughts
Crimson Desert known issues are fairly typical for a launch of this scale, even if a few of them are more disruptive than expected. The core experience is still strong, and most of these problems either have workarounds or are already under investigation.
If you are planning a long session, it is worth keeping these fixes in mind, especially for quest-related bugs and boss fights. A little caution can save you from having to redo hours of progress.
More importantly, updates are coming. Pearl Abyss has already started addressing early problems, so the experience should smooth out quickly in the coming weeks. Until then, play smart, save often, and maybe do not steal fruit from the back of stalls.
