This is not the RPG you expected. Crimson Desert abandons the key elements of the genre, going for original solutions

Crimson Desert is one of the most promising games of the first quarter of 2026. The new game from the creators of Black Desert Online looks super ambitious, and the gameplay videos are pretty impressive. But we'll have to wait until it actually comes out to really judge it.

The marketing machine is in full swing, and as part of it, we've just received the first of three materials aimed at showcasing the game's features and world.

Details about Crimson Desert

Although Crimson Desert is often labeled as an RPG, it's primarily an action game with only RPG elements (such as the absence of dialogue options and leveling). The main character is Kliff, a member of the Graymane, whose task is to protect the people. Interestingly, he won't be the only playable character. The creators have also added two more characters, each with their own unique fighting styles, skills, and weapons.

The continent of Pywel, where the game takes place, consists of five unique regions. According to the creators, the open map is twice the size of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Floating islands in the sky will also be available for exploration, strongly reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom—especially since players will also have the ability to manipulate objects.

Many quests in Pywel will be related to factions, allowing us to choose sides. The missions themselves will be very diverse – from small ones, supporting residents in their daily lives, to large ones where we reclaim occupied fortresses. The fight's gonna have all sorts of combos and options, like climbing on bigger enemies or using water to conduct electricity.

Other revealed features include:

1. NPCs interact with each other and comment on the character's actions, and cities are designed to feel very lively;
2. the game will offer the ability to ride dragons, bears, and even robots;
3. players can buy and live in their own house;
4. a crime system is implemented – guards will chase us if we commit a crime;
5. there is no romance system;
6. the game includes survival elements like gathering wood or stone. The interface also displays the ambient temperature, which may be significant during exploration.

Is Crimson Desert trying to "achieve too much"?

A few days ago, Pearl Abyss announced that Crimson Desert has reached gold status, meaning the release should be on track. It was confirmed that the game is currently in the optimization stage and will also offer enhancements for the PS5 Pro console.

It's also worth mentioning that some people have already had the chance to play Crimson Desert. An interesting insight was shared by Genki, who felt that the game "tries to achieve too much" and is "very ambitious." According to him, the controls are very complicated, and even performing simple tasks requires complex combinations.

We will see how it turns out when the game launches. The release of Crimson Desert is scheduled for March 19 on PC, PS5, and XSX/S.

1. After spending an hour with Crimson Desert, I don't know what it wants to be, but the current form has problems

Crimson Desert

March 19, 2026

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• Overview

• gameplays
• action RPG
• Pearl Abyss
• action adventure games