Pearl Abyss returned to profitability in the third quarter after major updates to its Black Desert franchise lifted gaming revenue and favorable currency movements bolstered results.
The Seoul-based game developer posted operating income of ₩10.6 billion ($7.2 million) for the three months ended September, reversing losses from earlier periods. Revenue climbed 34.2% from the prior quarter to ₩106.8 billion ($72.9 million), while net income reached ₩29 billion ($19.8 million).
Black Desert drove growth with the introduction of a new character class called Wukong and a fresh map area named Demon Realm: Edania. The decade-old game has weathered declining player counts in recent quarters, making the third-quarter rebound noteworthy though sustainability remains uncertain.
EVE Online, acquired through Pearl Abyss’s purchase of CCP Games, continued expansion pack updates for its Legion content but the company provided limited specifics on the space simulation game’s financial contribution.
The company confirmed Crimson Desert will launch March 20, 2026, following years of delays. Pearl Abyss began accepting pre-orders for the title after demonstrations at Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show generated interest, though the game has yet to prove it can meet commercial expectations after multiple postponements.
CFO Cho Mi-young said the company will focus on maintaining live services for Black Desert and EVE while preparing for the Crimson Desert release in the fourth quarter.
