Crimson Desert Update 1.09 is now available

new crimson desert The update was released on May 29 across all versions of the game with one exception. This release, identified by version number 1.09, introduces dozens of changes, including: crimson desertAmong other aspects of the game are its controls, pets, skills, animations, etc.

The popular open-world action-adventure from South Korean studio Pearl Abyss has received nearly two dozen patches since its debut on March 18. The most recent previous revision arrived on May 22nd. crimson desertThe version number has changed to 1.08 and various content additions and changes have been introduced. Update 1.09 is the game's 21st post-launch patch to date.

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Crimson Desert addresses control complaints with a universal fix.

The highlight of the new update is the ability to remap the game's default controller button layout. The additions address numerous player complaints, including: crimson desert's overly complex controls were one of the most frequent complaints from early adopters. While the ability to customize controls may be frustrating for future players, this feature was released two months after release. crimson desert The veterans have already cleared the initial hurdle. “It's too late to remap now,” one fan wrote, adding that they've already spent 130 hours in the game and have become accustomed to the default control scheme, which many players describe as janky at best.

Patch 1.09 also expands. crimson desertA pet system adds approximately 30 types of small animals that players can register as pets. Also included are new skills for Damian and Unka that use input commands corresponding to Cliff's Blinding Flash finisher, a heavy attack performed with Blinding Flash. In the basic control scheme, this skill is activated on the controller by pressing RB and LB, releasing only RB, and then quickly pressing again to initiate focus. Equivalent primary mouse and keyboard inputs are CTRL and left mouse button.

According to the official changelog, which doesn't elaborate any further, the late May 2026 update introduced new animations for carrying pets. Another change replaces unspecified 2D sprites with new assets that are broadly described as better suited to the game's art direction. This phrase indicates that the change may be related to: crimson desert's AI controversy, where it was revealed that some assets in the first day version of the game were created with AI. In a mid-March 2026 statement, Pearl Abyss characterized these visual elements as remnants of the early prototype-driven development phase that were unintentionally left behind in the final version. The studio promised to launch a “comprehensive audit” to remove in-game assets. If the 1.09 patch notes are any indication, that process is still underway as of late May 2026.

scratch and pick

Check the cover art while scratching the foil as little as possible.

scratch and pick

Check the cover art while scratching the foil as little as possible.

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The 1.09 update was released simultaneously on all platforms except macOS, which will be released soon. Covers the latest roadmap for Pearl Abyss. crimson desert Content is planned from April to June 2026, but the South Korean developer has already delivered most of the promised updates as of late May. This could mean that the game's summer roadmap will be released earlier than expected.

Crimson Desert Update 1.09 Patch Notes

Update schedule (as of May 29, 2026)

Steam (PC): Patch now available
Steam (Mac): Patch now available
PlayStation: Patch now available
Xbox: Patch available now
Epic Games Store: Patch Now Available
Mac App Store: Future patches available (in progress)

New additions

Controller remapping feature added.
Approximately 30 types of small animals that can be registered as pets have been added.

New skills for Unca and Damian have been added.
- The input command for each skill is the same as Cliff's 'Blinding Flash Finisher' (strong attack while using blinding flash).
Added animations for picking up and putting down certain pets.

Major content improvements

An issue where it was difficult to check colors depending on the surrounding light source when dyeing or customizing characters has been fixed.
Fixed an issue where legendary fish could be donated.
An issue where some related challenges were not completed even after obtaining certain knowledge has been fixed.
Fixed an issue where “Pond Management” mode could not be entered under certain circumstances.
Fixed an issue where controls would become unresponsive if the character dies after entering the “Pond Management” menu while taking damage.
Fixed an issue where bears would try and fail to eat fish that fell on the ground.
As part of ongoing improvements, certain 2D visual assets have been replaced to better align with the game's art direction.

Major control improvements

Farming has been improved so that seeds can now be assigned to quick slots and used.
Fixed an issue where players would enter photo mode while examining an item.
Fixed an issue where ‘Magic Scythe’ could not be used if the inventory was full.
Fixed an issue where the ‘Scythe’ could not be used in a safe zone.
Fixed an issue where ‘Mining Knuckle Drill’ could not be used while hanging on a wall.

Major combat/action improvements

[Kliff] Fixed an issue where using “Dodge Kick” while unarmed would not consume Spirit.
[Kliff] The issue where ‘Blinding Flash Finisher’ could be used even when spirit was low has been fixed.
[Oongka] Adjusted the stagger meter increase for “Quaking Fury”.

Major UI improvements

We have improved the dispatch UI so that colleagues with the skills required for the mission are displayed at the top.
If you perform a mission repeatedly, ‘Repeat Mission’ will be displayed in the UI.
[Keyboard/Mouse] The cursor now disappears when reviewing a document.
Fixed an issue where the number of companions was displayed as 0 in the Camp Resources UI.
Fixed an issue where QTE input icons would not appear if certain input options were customized.
Fixed an issue where the UI would freeze when reconnecting to the game after returning to the title screen due to an error in certain situations.
Fixed an issue where the “Clean” interaction input would also appear for fish that could not be cleaned.

Major graphical and settings improvements

[PC] Fixed an issue where shadows from some distant objects would not be rendered correctly when the “Ray Traced Sun/Moon Light Shadows” option was enabled.
[Mac] Fixed an issue where the “Raytraced Sun/Moon Light Shadows” option was not applied.

Major localization improvements

Fixed various localization errors and improved localization quality for all languages.

Other improvements

Fixed an issue where audio would play when reviewing certain documents, such as books and compensation notices, when the audio language was set to English.
Fixed an issue where sound effects would not play when cooking with special cooking utensils.
Fixed an issue where the game would sometimes crash when navigating to the “Tree Branch” crafting recipe tab in the crafting UI.
[Damiane] Fixed an issue where repeatedly hitting the Sanctuary Core with an attack imbued with an element would cause the effects to stack and reduce performance.
[Damiane] Fixed unnatural animation when dodging while falling from a high place.
Fixed an issue where player landing animations would appear unnatural in certain situations.
Fixed an issue where the corpse placing animation would appear unnatural when interacting with something while swimming with a corpse.
Fixed an issue where equipment would appear transparent when switching to another tool while it was drawn.
Fixed an issue where attacking while equipped with certain tools would cause the player's loadout to switch to a different weapon.

released: March 19, 2026
ESRB: Age 17 or older / Blood, drug-related, high-intensity violence, verbal abuse
developer: Pearl Abyss
publisher: Pearl Abyss