"Crimson Desert" and BTS's Fifth Studio Album Share the Same Release Date
Focus on Whether Interest in K-Content Will Extend to Games
The global push of K-content is once again drawing attention. Next month, BTS, the leading group in K-pop, will release their fifth full-length studio album "Arirang," on the same day that the highly anticipated console-based triple-A (blockbuster-level) K-game "Crimson Desert" is launched.
According to industry sources on the 26th, Pearl Abyss will release "Crimson Desert" on the 20th of next month, after seven years of development. This open-world action-adventure game has already attracted strong interest on major global platforms even before launch, surpassing 2 million wishlists on Steam. Expectations are high that it will follow in the footsteps of "Black Desert," which was a hit in North America and Europe.
"Crimson Desert" was included in last year's "Most Anticipated Game" list in the Sony PlayStation Store and has continued to draw attention from leading overseas media. ESPN, the U.S. sports-focused media outlet, said, "Pearl Abyss is venturing into single-player adventure games with 'Crimson Desert,'" adding that "'Crimson Desert' is an ambitious project with a high degree of freedom that brings together a wide variety of elements."
The U.S. weekly current affairs magazine Newsweek also mentioned the title in its list of the most anticipated games of last year, saying, "We look forward to seeing whether Pearl Abyss will deliver a story as compelling as 'Crimson Desert's' ambitious gameplay." In addition, it has been named among the top anticipated titles by global media such as GameSpot and PCMag in North America and GameWith in Japan.
"Crimson Desert" is scheduled for a worldwide release on PC and console platforms. Pre-orders are underway on the official website, and the game will be available on PlayStation (PS) 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Apple Mac, and the Epic Games Store.
At 1 p.m. on the same day, BTS will release their fifth full-length album "Arirang." Returning as a complete group for the first time in four years after finishing their military service, BTS will present their comeback stage the following day in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. With pre-orders for the new album reaching 4.06 million copies in just one week, police estimate that around 260,000 people will gather in the Gwanghwamun area on the day of the performance. "BTS Comeback Live: Arirang" will be broadcast live worldwide via Netflix. After that, BTS will embark on a large-scale world tour, holding 82 concerts across 34 regions in Asia, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.
Major overseas media outlets are highlighting both the news of BTS's return and its expected impact. CNN in the United States reported, "BTS, the group that elevated K-pop into a global cultural phenomenon, is back," while Forbes analyzed that it "will set a new standard for world tours by Korean artists as one of the most extensive tours in history." The Guardian in the United Kingdom described the tour as a "mega-event capable of paralyzing the economies of North American cities," and projected that it would surpass Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour."
The industry is watching closely to see whether the heightened global interest in K-content sparked by last year's Netflix film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" will extend beyond K-pop and translate into success for K-games. An industry insider said, "A variety of Korean-made games, including Pearl Abyss' 'Crimson Desert,' are targeting the global market," adding, "Attention is focused on whether this year will see mega-hit titles in gaming that gain worldwide recognition, alongside K-pop, dramas, and films."
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