Why Pearl Abyss Stuck With BlackSpace Engine for Crimson Desert

Pearl Abyss is turning heads with the visuals in Crimson Desert, and lead engineer Jin hwan Kim recently shared why the studio chose their own BlackSpace Engine over popular industry standards like Unreal Engine 5. During a recent interview at gamescom, Kim explained that building their own technology was a strategic choice for the team.

The biggest benefit for the developers is total control. By using their own engine, the studio can adjust their tools and workflows whenever they need to. This flexibility allows them to push out game updates much faster than they could if they had to wait for third party software updates or external support.

While Unreal Engine 5 is powerful, the BlackSpace Engine is built specifically for the needs of Crimson Desert. This custom setup powers everything from the game's realistic lighting to complex ray tracing effects. Fans can expect this focus on internal technology to help the studio refine the experience as they prepare for the final release.