- Pearl Abyss has released a new overview of Crimson desert
- The game promises a bigger map than Skyrim and red Dead Redemption 2with immersive exploration
- It is due for release on March 19, 2026
While Grand Theft Auto 6 on the cards for late 2026, there’s a very ambitious title set to launch in March that looks set to become a true rival to Rockstar Games’ blockbuster.
Developer Pearl Abyss revealed a rundown of new features for its upcoming open-world action adventure title, Crimson desertahead of the March 19, 2026 release date, further highlighting the immersive and expansive experience awaiting players.
Pearl Abyss PR Director Will Powers, previously said Crimson desert‘s map would be larger than both Bethesda’s Skyrimand Red Dead Redemption 2a claim that raised many eyebrows among gamers.
Well, the team has proven that with the new overview, promising five separate regions in one massive continent known as Pywel, and a map filled with unique NPC interactions, activities, rewarding puzzles, and engaging side missions to keep players busy.
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Powers made it clear during several recent interviews that Crimson desert is not actually an RPG, so players should limit their expectations in terms of player choice and freedom. However, it clearly still has some RPG elements somewhat reminiscent of Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma 2.
You can ride dragons, mechs, bears, horses (if you’re bored), and so much more that hasn’t been revealed yet. All of these mounts seem necessary for traversal in such a massive game.
Based on the promised map size and content, not many other upcoming games have shown the level of scale and detail Crimson desert have besides of course GTA 6.
Red Dead Redemption 2’s open world felt alive with a huge map and several unique interactions and random events that weren’t always centered around the main story, and Crimson desert seems to echo the same sentiment.
The 2018 western hit is Rockstar Games’ last major release, so it’s only natural to assume that GTA 6 will try to be bigger and better than RDR2and these are the same heights that Pearl Abyss is trying to reach.
Opinion: this looks like a strong GOTY contender
I always do my best to avoid ramping up hype for upcoming games, for fear of potential disappointment, but Pearl Abyss’ Crimson desert has left me more and more excited with each reveal so far.
It’s a title I’ve been keeping an eye on since its very first reveal trailer in 2019, and it’s evolved so much since then, and with all the impressive combat, exploration and mechanics on display, it looks like it could be a big contender for Game of the Year awards.
Remember, 2026 has many long-awaited titles: Resident Evil Requiem (my second most anticipated game), Phantom Blade Zero, 007 First light, Onimusha: Path of the Swordand Marvel’s Wolverine.
Pearl Abyss has that plenty competition – but more importantly, 2026 looks set to be one of the best years for gaming and I’m sure Crimson desert will have a big role to play in that.
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