Deal | Two of 2026's biggest AAA action games get their first-ever discounts on the PlayStation Store

PlayStation's latest sales event went live two days ago, with the Gamescom promotion billed to run until September 10, and promising up to 75% discounts on select titles. Two of 2026's biggest action games benefit from it, with both games getting their first-ever discounts since launch.

The first is Crimson Desert, made by Pearl Abyss. An action-RPG with a sprawling sandbox widely considered one of the most impressive and packed of any video game, Crimson Desert gets a 20% discount, bringing its price down to a more palatable $55.99 on the PlayStation Store, days after a similar discount on Steam.

The game recently got the "Enhanced" suffix following a massive 2.00 update from Pearl Abyss. Said update was released earlier this week and brought a reworked narrative, performance fixes, and improvements to the skill tree and UI. While Crimson Desert received criticism at launch, a barrage of updates since its March release has significantly improved the game, making it a much better experience overall.

Performance issues and a lackluster narrative ensured Crimson Desert launched to an underwhelming critical reception, with the game having a 77% favorable score on Metacritic. Its 8.8 user score tells a different story, however, and likely reflects how enjoyable the sandbox experience is, and how much updates have improved the game. That said, Crimson Desert is unlikely to ever be known for delivering an excellent story, and potential buyers would do well to keep that in mind.

Other aspects of Crimson Desert are great, however. The combat is fast-paced, fluid, and engaging—rare qualities in the genre. The game's skill tree and progression system in general have also received plaudits. Graphical performance on the base PS5 is solid but not especially impressive, though, and users have reported frame drops and stutters in certain regions.

Like Crimson Desert, 007 First Light also gets a 20% discount that takes its price down to $55.99. That's where the similarities between both games end, however, as 007 First Light walks a wildly different path and delivers an almost antithetical experience.

The James Bond game—the first on consoles since 2012's poorly received 007 Legends—features a rookie Bond still perfecting his craft, and is a linear experience with a tightly woven narrative. Developed and published by IO Interactive, 007 First Light borrows elements from the studio's other IP, Hitman, and has also drawn comparisons to Naughty Dog's action-adventure Uncharted series.

Gameplay in 007 First Light is a mix of stealth, third-person gunplay, and environmental melee combat. All three aspects have received praise for their implementation in general, although the game has also been criticized for being a bit too easy. 

Regardless, 007 First Light launched to critical acclaim, with an 87% favorable Metascore, and an 8.3 user score—in no small part due to how polished it is. It's performed great commercially too, with over 1.5 million copies sold in its first 24 hours, and over four million in under three months.

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