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Will Crimson Desert have dynamic seasons and weather?


Crimson Desert boasts a vast open world to explore, but it isn’t just set dressing. It promises to be a dynamic sandbox that changes as time passes, enhancing player immersion further. For those wondering, yes, dynamic weather is in. That said, dynamic seasons are not in since each of the five regions has its own distinct, preset biomes.

We’ll discuss all we know thus far about the game’s technical makeup when it comes to weather, simulation, and other elements of its sandbox world. From what each element contributes to the world, to likely inspirations, here are the details.

Also Read: 5 Similar games to try while you wait for Crimson Desert’s release

Dynamic weather, day/night cycle, seasons, and more in Crimson Desert

The open world features dynamic weather, but unfortunately, not seasons (Image via Pearl Abyss)
The open world features dynamic weather, but unfortunately, not seasons (Image via Pearl Abyss)

Exploring Pywell promises to be quite immersive. For one, the game takes place across five distinct regions of the continent: Hernand, Pailune, Demeniss, Delesyia, and finally, the titular Crimson Desert. Since each region has its own distinct biome, like the snowy peaks of Pailune and the arid red sands of the Desert, seasons are not included.

This is pretty much how other immersive games like Red Dead Redemption 2 handle their biomes. Developer Pearl Abyss does seem to be taking more than a few pages from Rockstar Games’ beloved classic. Similar to the 2018 open-world title, realistic weather is accounted for. Players will occasionally encounter heavy snowfall, raging downpours, and more, making the world even more believable.

Here is a full list of weather effects that are publicly known so far in Crimson Desert:

  • Sunny/Clear/Cloudy
  • Rainy/Thunderstorms
  • Gentle breeze/Gusty winds
  • Snowfall/Blizzards
  • Foggy
The rich foliage adorns every corner of the game's many biomes (Image via Pearl Abyss)
The rich foliage adorns every corner of the game’s many biomes (Image via Pearl Abyss)

As seen in gameplay demos, foliage is also very dynamic and responsive, dancing in tune with the weather. The calm meadows of Hernand demonstrate how gently trees and shrubbery react to the caress of winds. However, when a storm stirs up, the greenery lashes around mercilessly. In either scenario, it makes the world feel truly alive, whether you are exploring or engaged in combat.

Furthermore, each region will be governed by a full day/night cycle that players can experience firsthand. The NPCs populating these lands will also boast full-blown work routines, from waking up, going about their daily tasks, like farming, fishing, or guard duty, and then going back to bed. Time of day will also govern what sort of NPCs or threats players encounter in the open, incentivizing exploring at different times.

All of this is powered by the in-house BlackSpace Engine’s GI (global Illumination) solution. This results in the realistic and mesmerizing play of light and shadows as they snake across the landscapes as time passes. As previously mentioned, players can test this out in real-time by standing still in a spot to observe their surroundings. The day/night cycle goes from dawn to dusk, and vice versa.

The realistic water simulation introduces a night and day difference (Image via Pearl Abyss)
The realistic water simulation introduces a night and day difference (Image via Pearl Abyss)

What’s more is that, just like Red Dead Redemption 2, the volumetric fog is also quite impressive. It is powered by fluid simulation, allowing for realistic deformation as Kliff moves through knee-high fog in some areas. While not directly related to the weather itself, flowing water can also be realistically simulated.

Of course, unlike weather systems, both these advanced features will be graphically intensive, so users will be able to turn them off on PC for performance gains. While none of this is anything new, the lack of seasons will likely be a tad disappointing for many fans.

Other publishers have accomplished similarly impressive ways of revitalizing their open worlds with actual seasons, like in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Ubisoft’s 2025 open-world RPG set a new landmark for sandbox realism. It allowed players to adjust seasons, which drastically altered how the open world looked in autumn, winter, etc.

The day/night cycle works alongside the game's different open-world elements to liven it up (Image via Pearl Abyss)
The day/night cycle works alongside the game’s different open-world elements to liven it up (Image via Pearl Abyss)

However, dynamic seasons do not seem to be a priority for Crimson Desert’s BlackSpace Engine. As per the demonstrations thus far, there seems to be a lack of support for procedural geometry to make altering the whole world feasible, just as Shadows did. Not to mention, fully recoating a massive open world in different shades of seasons would also require a lot more effort.

This in no way takes away from the ambitious nature of Crimson Desert, however, as it is already doing quite a lot. After all, it goes above and beyond even Ubisoft’s impressive offering in many aspects, like the ability to explore the skies on a dragon as well as other mounts.

On that note, it remains to be seen how the dynamic weather hinders the players’ ability to explore the world, especially when flying through the sky. We’ll have to wait until launch day to find out when Crimson Desert launches on March 19, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S platforms.

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