something Crimson Desert Players are reporting unusually blurry scenes on the PlayStation 5, including the more powerful Pro version of Sony's console. Although the exact scope of this issue is uncertain, Crimson Desert Developer Pearl Abyss has already shared a possible solution that PS5 owners can try while the studio looks for a permanent solution.
The South Korean studio's second title launched on March 19 for PC and consoles. Pearl Abyss had long held high expectations. Crimson Desertgraphics, with multiple previews and trailers suggesting the open-world action adventure ranks among the most visually impressive AAA releases in recent years. As a result, Crimson Desert is already a strong contender to be one of the most graphically demanding games of 2026. Although console players should in theory be insulated from major problems stemming from a given title's resource footprint, at least one notable technical problem has made its way into the hit game's first day.
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Crimson Desert PS5 version has problem with 120Hz mode
Within hours of the game's release, some day-one buyers took to social media and Pearl Abyss' official Discord server to report problems. Crimson DesertThe PS5 performance. Complaints center on the unusually soft image quality, with some players reporting textures so blurry that they significantly affect visual readability. The leading theory is that the issue is linked to the game's 120Hz mode, a setting shared by the vast majority of affected users. Pearl Abyss marketing director Will Powers subscribed to that theory, responding to a March 20 complaint about blurry graphics by advising affected players to disable 120Hz mode.
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While there is no shortage of modern TVs and monitors that support a 120Hz refresh rate, not all can do so when outputting a 4K image. Whether that poses a practical problem varies from game to game, so the PS5 lets users enable the “120 Hz output” option under the video output settings as long as their display supports the refresh rate. any resolve Unlike many titles that require players to enable 120Hz in-game, Crimson Desert Always boots into that mode when the corresponding setting found within the Screen and Video menu is enabled. This can force the game to significantly lower its resolution if it determines the TV or monitor requires such a compromise.
Crimson Desert currently lacks an in-game 120Hz mode toggle, so the only way to test its blur fix is to disable 120Hz video in the PS5 system settings, under Screen & Video > Video Output > 120Hz Output.
However, not from all reports Crimson Desert Players describe the same issue, suggesting the PS5 problem may be more complex than a single bad default setting. One Discord user said the game only blurred during combat and otherwise looked sharp, while others reported significantly lower quality textures during less predictable times. At least one user on the Pearl Abyss Discord server said the problem persisted throughout the game, though that wasn't a universal experience. Conversely, many player testimonials suggest that notable issues don't materialize until hours into the game.
How Crimson Desert approaches frame pacing
In 120Hz mode, PS5 version Crimson Desert Aims for 40 frames per second in an effort to maintain uniform frame pacing. By repeating each frame three times, the game can deliver a significantly smoother experience than 30fps while remaining significantly less demanding than 60fps. On displays that don't support 120Hz, most games fall back to 30 fps even though they can reach 40 fps, because the alternative requires uneven frame delivery that can lead to inconsistent motion smoothness and microstutters.
since Crimson Desert Marketed as one of the more visually ambitious AAA games in recent history, it's potentially more vulnerable to image-quality issues affecting early player impressions. It is especially the case that problems with blurry visuals affect the full standard hardware that PS5, a system that is actively optimized for developers. Pearl Abyss has not yet provided a timeline for fixing the blur issue. If simply disabling 120Hz mode on unsupported displays is enough, a solution could come relatively soon.
- issued
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March 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood, drug references, intense violence, strong language
- developer(s)
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The Pearl Abyss
- publisher(s)
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The Pearl Abyss
