On September 9, Pearl Abyss released a behind-the-scenes video detailing the audio production process for Crimson Desert on the official Pearl Abyss Music YouTube channel.
The video features Pearl Abyss Executive Audio Director Hwiman Ryu, Music Designer Inro Joo, and Sound Designers Myeong-hoon Kim and Won-beom Lee, who share how they balanced realistic expression with the game's distinct auditory appeal.
The development team recorded ambient sound effects directly, including footsteps in snow, birds chirping, and reverberations from real physical spaces like parking structures, hallways, and buildings. The tagelharpa, a traditional Nordic instrument, was crafted into a virtual instrument, resampled, and integrated into the game.
For the boss monster Golden Star, the team conducted meticulous Foley work accounting for every individual joint movement. The background music was structured to seamlessly adapt to the flow of combat, alongside field tracks designed to reflect the specific regional atmosphere and situation across the open world.
Crimson Desert has been nominated in the Game Music Award category at the 2026 World Soundtrack Awards (WSA). The WSA newly established its Game Music category in 2023.
