Pearl Abyss working on bringing Arc GPU support to Crimson Desert, with Intel 'ready to assist'

Fantasy RPG fans have been spoilt for choice over the last few years, so much so you'd perhaps be forgiven for not getting to Crimson Desert—affectionately described by some as the 'yes, and' of videogames—any time soon. Well, for those gaming on Intel hardware, that may be just as well.

Last week, we attempted to test Crimson Desert with an Intel Arc graphics card, and were greeted by a pop-up explaining the hardware simply isn't supported. While the game's FAQ page previously encouraged out of luck gamers to "please refer to the refund policy of the platform where the game was purchased," developer Pearl Abyss has since assured it is working to support Intel Arc GPUs in the future.

The game's FAQ has been updated, and now reads, "We are currently working on compatibility and optimization support so that Crimson Desert can also be enjoyed on Intel Arc GPU systems. We are preparing to provide a smooth and stable gameplay experience, and we ask for your patience until the support update becomes available."

Crimson Desert's system requirements did not initially list Intel GPUs, but such an omission does not always mean a GPU isn't supported. As such, Crimson Desert's FAQ now reads, "We apologize for any confusion our previous FAQ wording regarding playability on Intel Arc GPUs may have caused. Please regard this as our latest official news on the subject."

It's currently unclear why support for Intel Arc GPUs was not present at launch, especially as Intel says that it's been working with developer Pearl Abyss throughout Crimson Desert's development.

"We’re aware that Crimson Desert currently doesn’t launch on systems with Intel GPUs and we’re hugely disappointed that players using Intel graphics hardware can’t jump into the world of Pywel at launch," an Intel spokesperson told us. "Getting games running smoothly is always a partnership between developers and hardware makers."

The spokesperson continued, "Over the past several years, we’ve reached out to Pearl Abyss many times to help test, validate, and optimize support for Intel graphics, providing early hardware, drivers, and engineering resources across multiple generations, including Alchemist, Battlemage, Meteor Lake, and Lunar Lake."

"Our teams are deeply committed to helping all studios deliver the best experience possible, providing open tools, documentation, and direct engineering support to make sure their games run well for everyone, including the tens of millions of players using Intel GPUs. We remain ready to assist Pearl Abyss however we can."

Here's hoping those gaming on an Intel Arc GPU won't have to wait too long to take in the sights of Pywel, and Crimson Deserts stuffed smorgasbord of mechanics. But, as folks may be left waiting a while for support to arrive, it's probably still best to seek that refund while they can.