Crimson Desert is setting itself up to be the breakout hit for 2026, so we’ve laid out all the essentials, from the premise and release time to why it’s getting so much hype.
While GTA 6 and Resident Evil Requiem are amongst the most obvious big name titles for 2026, another game has been gaining momentum over the past few months.
Crimson Desert, developed by South Korean studio Pearl Abyss, feels like it’s morphed from an obscurity into something which could rival some of the biggest hits of the year. It’s been in development since 2018, and was planned as a prequel to the studio’s massively multiplayer online role-player Black Desert Online, before it was spun off into a separate single-player game set in the same universe.
It’s due to launch later this month and for many, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. If you need to get clued up, here’s what you should know about Crimson Desert.
So what is Crimson Desert?
Crimson Desert is an open world action role-player, where you play as an Aragorn-like protagonist called Kliff in the fantasy world of Pywel. According to the Steam description, a devastating ambush leaves Kliff and his allies dead or scattered across the continent, so it’s your mission to reunite with the survivors and rebuild the faction.
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Gameplay-wise, Crimson Desert appears to combine Devil May Cry style combat, expansive exploration akin to Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, and a world reminiscent of The Witcher 3. It’s unclear how big its scope is exactly, but it seems to be a dizzying mish-mash, with the ability to fly on dragons, use jetpacks, and switch between multiple characters.
It’s set in the same universe as Pearl Abyss’ previous game Black Desert Online, but it seems like there’s no story connections between the two.
Why are people getting excited about it?
A lot of the buzz appears to stem from hands-on previews. While some have been left baffled by its scope and breadth of activities, the ambition of what it’s trying to juggle, along with the size of its world, has left a positive impression with many.
Additionally, the power of Pearl Abyss’ proprietary engine BlackSpace, versus the commonly used Unreal Engine 5, has made it standout. A report about the PS5 Pro version on Digital Foundry described it as ‘one of the most impressive open world experiences’ they’ve ever had.
Beyond the positive impressions, there have been a lot of eyes on the game’s trailers. The launch trailer above has racked up over 500,000 views within a day, while some prior clips have amassed millions.
How much of the interest comes from Asia, versus the rest of the world, is impossible to tell. But it may be a case similar to Black Myth: Wukong which achieved the majority of its landmark success through sales in China. Although, as ever in the games industry, definitive stats are unlikely to ever be released.
What is Crimson Desert’s release date and time?
The game launches on Thursday, March 19, 2026 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and MacOS. As for the time, it will be live across all platforms from 10pm GMT in the UK.
If you pre-order Crimson Desert digitally, you’ll also be able to pre-load the game 48 hours before launch (although you won’t be able to play it early).
What editions does Crimson Desert have?
In the UK, there are three editions to choose from. The standard day one edition, priced at £54.99 digitally or £49.99 physical, includes the full game along with a Khaled Shield pre-order bonus. If you buy it on PlayStation 5, you’ll also receive an exclusive Grotevant Plate set.
The physical deluxe edition, exclusive to Amazon, throws in a SteelBook, a letter from the developer, a Greymane Brooch pin, three character photo cards, patches, and a map of Pywel, along with other in-game goodies in the Kairos Plate set, Balgran Shield, and Exclaire Horse Tack set. In the digital deluxe edition, priced at £64.99, you’ll just get the latter items.
If you fancy forking out even more, there’s a collector’s edition which adds a dragon diaroma, along with a fabric map of Pywel. This is priced at a whopping £239.99 at Smyths.
Does Crimson Desert support cross-save?
As noted on the Crimson Desert FAQ page, the game does not support cross-save across different platforms.
What are the Crimson Desert system requirements?
You can find a breakdown of the minimum to ultra PC specifications in the image below.
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