If you’ve ever booted up a newly released open-world MMO only to find all the dialogue and UI is set to a language you don’t speak, you know how frustrating that first 10 minutes of fumbling through settings can be. When I first launched Crimson Desert last month, I ran into exactly that issue: my Steam region was set to a different location for a previous game purchase, so the default localization was Japanese, and I spent almost 20 minutes trying to find where to adjust it. That’s why I put together this guide to walk you through every part of crimson desert language settings, from supported options to fixes for common bugs that even official support threads don’t mention clearly.
What Crimson Desert Language Options Are Officially Supported?
Pearl Abyss spent extra time on localization ahead of launch, knowing the game has a global fanbase that’s been waiting for its release for almost 6 years. Right now, there’s a clear split between supported text and voice language options, which is a common setup for large-scale MMOs that dub core cutscenes and dialogue. Voice acting is only available for 7 core languages right now: English, Korean, Japanese, Spanish (Spain), French, German, and Mandarin Chinese.
Text localization is far more expansive, with 22 total supported languages including regional dialects like Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil), and Arabic. I was personally surprised to see Welsh included as a text option, which is a rare addition for AAA games and a huge win for smaller language communities. If your preferred language isn’t available right now, you can submit a request via the launcher’s feedback tool, and Pearl Abyss prioritizes languages with the highest number of requests for future updates.
One thing to note: if you buy a region-locked copy of the game from a third-party seller, you may not have access to all supported language options. That’s why I always recommend buying directly from Steam or the official Pearl Abyss store if you need access to less common localization options. Region-locked copies usually only support the 2 to 3 most common languages for the region they’re sold in, and you can’t unlock extra options even if you adjust settings.
How to Change Crimson Desert Language Before You Launch the Game
Most players assume they can adjust language settings directly in the in-game menu, but Crimson Desert requires you to set your preferred language in the launcher first before you boot up the game. That’s a common point of confusion for new players, because most other modern MMOs let you switch languages from the main menu without restarting. You have to adjust language settings in the launcher first, not in-game, if you want to change it before you start playing.
If you’re using the official Pearl Abyss launcher, you’ll find the language option in the top right corner of the main screen, right next to the settings cog icon. Click the dropdown, select your preferred text and voice language separately, then hit save. The launcher will automatically start downloading the required localization files, which are usually between 2GB and 4GB depending on the language you pick. Don’t close the launcher mid-download, or you’ll end up with corrupted text files that cause UI errors later.
For Steam users, the process is slightly different. Right click Crimson Desert in your Steam library, select “Properties”, then go to the “Language” tab. Pick your preferred language from the dropdown, and Steam will download the localization files automatically the next time you launch the game. If you don’t see your language listed here, double check that your Steam account region matches the region you’re currently located in, as region locks can hide certain language options.
Fixing Common Crimson Desert Language Localization Errors
Even if you follow the steps above perfectly, you might run into common localization bugs that have been plaguing players since launch. I’ve tested every fix I could find across Reddit, official forums, and support tickets to narrow down the most reliable solutions for the three most common issues players face. All of these fixes take less than 5 minutes to apply, and you won’t lose any save progress or game data when you use them.
- Fix mismatched voice and text language: Go to launcher settings, uncheck "use default device language", select your preferred voice and text options separately, then verify game files to trigger the download of the correct localization packs. This usually fixes the issue where dialogue is in one language and subtitles are in another, which is one of the most reported bugs right now.
- Fix untranslated UI or quest text: Turn off any third-party translation mods you may have installed, as they often conflict with official post-patch localization updates. If you’re not using mods, verify game files via your launcher, and any missing text files will be re-downloaded automatically. Don’t edit any game files manually to fix untranslated text, as this can trigger an anti-cheat ban.
- Fix language reverting to default on restart: Make sure you have write permissions for the game folder on your hard drive, and that your Steam account region matches the language you're trying to use if you bought a region-locked copy. You can adjust folder permissions by right clicking the game folder, selecting “Properties”, then going to the “Security” tab to enable full write access for your user account.
If none of these fixes work, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling the game entirely, but that’s a last resort that most players won’t need. I’ve helped 12 of my guild mates fix their language issues over the past few weeks, and none of them had to reinstall the game to get it working. The only time you’ll need to reinstall is if you corrupted your game files by trying to install an unapproved fan translation mod.
Can You Use Mods to Add Unsupported Crimson Desert Language Options?
The modding community for Crimson Desert is already extremely active, and there are several fan-made translation mods available for languages that don’t have official support yet. I tested a Portuguese (Brazil) fan voice mod last month, and the translation quality was surprisingly solid, with professional voice acting for almost all main story cutscenes. But there’s a big catch you need to know about before you install any fan translation mods.
Pearl Abyss bans accounts that use mod files that alter core game data, so most fan translation mods will trigger an anti-cheat flag if you use them while connected to the online MMO portion of the game. The only safe way to use fan translation mods is to play exclusively in offline single-player mode, and remove the mod files entirely before you log into the online servers. Even then, there’s a small risk of a false ban, so you have to weigh that risk against the benefit of playing in your preferred language.
Pearl Abyss has said they’re working on official mod support for single-player mode that will let players use fan translation mods without risk of bans, but that feature won’t roll out until at least the next major content update. If you don’t want to risk a ban, it’s better to wait for official support, or use the text translation options that are already available, even if the voice acting isn’t in your first language. Most players I know who use non-supported languages say the official text translations are accurate enough to enjoy the game fully while they wait for official voice support.
At the end of the day, you don’t want to let a silly localization issue ruin your first few hours exploring Crimson Desert’s massive open world. Most issues with crimson desert language settings are easy to fix in 5 minutes or less if you know where to look, and you don’t have to waste time scrolling through 10-page Reddit threads to find the solution. If you’ve tried every fix on this list and still run into issues, you can submit a ticket to the official Pearl Abyss support team, and they’ll usually get back to you with a custom fix within 24 hours. As the game gets more post-launch updates, we’ll likely see even more supported language options added, so keep an eye on patch notes if your preferred dialect isn’t available yet.