Crimson Desert Shows Off Absolutely Massive Open World Map

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Pearl Abyss, the studio behind Black Desert, is gearing up to launch Crimson Desert, a large-scale open-world action RPG, in March 2026 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S. Early looks suggest it could be a major fantasy game of the year. The game is set in the expansive world of Pywel, offering players vibrant cities, beautiful scenery, and mysterious ruins to explore. Recently, the developers shared a detailed overview of the game’s features on their YouTube channel, giving fans a closer look at what’s in store.

Pywel boasts a vast and immersive open world, featuring five distinct regions, each filled with its own groups, struggles, and interesting locations. Built for powerful consoles like the PS5, the game emphasizes both scale and player freedom. Recent gameplay footage reveals a game packed with diverse activities – from large-scale battles and sieges to smaller side quests and general exploration – all set within a beautifully detailed world.

Crimson Desert Showcases the Vast Open World of Pywel

The main highlight of the features presentation is Pywel itself. The game world is massive—larger than both Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption 2—and the developers at Pearl Abyss wanted to show how that vast scale impacts the story and gameplay, not just its size.

Crimson Desert’s Biggest Open-World Features

  • SEAMLESS OPEN WORLD—Pywel is a fully seamless continent designed for uninterrupted exploration.
  • FIVE DISTINCT REGIONS—The world is divided into five regions, each with unique stories, factions, and conflicts.
  • PLAYER FREEDOM FOCUS—No strict path, letting players explore and take on quests in any order.
  • FACTIONS AND CONFLICTS—Rival groups clash across Pywel, shaping quests and regional control.
  • WORLD STATE CHANGES—Liberating areas restores rightful control and makes regions safer to travel.
  • THE ABYSS THREAT—A mysterious realm influencing Pywel and driving the game’s central conflict.
  • ARTIFACT PROGRESSION—Artifacts found through exploration, quests, and combat unlock and upgrade skills.
  • EXPANDED TRAVERSAL OPTIONS—Horseback travel, climbing, gliding, plus later access to a mech and a dragon.

Even though many people say the size of open-world games isn’t important, Pearl Abyss keeps highlighting that the vastness of Pywel is designed to give players ultimate freedom. They explain that in Pywel, you can “go anywhere that captures your interest,” with interesting sights, secrets, and surprises discovered along the way, and no forced path to follow.

Players exploring the world of Pywel will feel a sense of freedom, enhanced by its beautiful landscapes and the vibrant lives of its people. The developers describe Pywel as a stunning, interconnected open world with expansive wilderness areas and lively cities full of diverse characters. Venturing off the main roads will allow players to uncover hidden treasures like ancient ruins and other unique finds.

Questing and Traversal Play a Huge Role in Crimson Desert

Exploring the world of Crimson Desert makes good use of its large size. The game features five distinct regions, each filled with stories and secrets to uncover. Quests focus on the various factions, families, and groups within the world. Importantly, players aren’t forced to follow a specific path; they’re free to complete activities and quests in whatever order they prefer.

I’m really excited about how you get around in Pywel! The map is huge, and they’ve made it so you can explore using mounts, climbing, and gliding. But it gets even cooler later on! Pearl Abyss has said we’ll eventually unlock a mech that shoots missiles, and even ride a dragon to fly all over the place. It sounds incredible!

The initial look at Crimson Desert suggests its huge open world isn’t just about size – it’s central to how you advance in the game. According to Pearl Abyss, finding pieces of the Abyss throughout the world of Pywel is a key part of your adventure, as these fragments unlock fast travel and skill upgrades. The developers also emphasize that Pywel is full of secrets waiting to be found, and these discoveries will lead to new abilities, pathways, and opportunities. With more details on combat and character progression still to come, Crimson Desert has plenty more to reveal to fans before its release on March 19, 2026 for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S.

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2026-01-29 21:39