Millions of Steam users are planning to check out a new Open World Action RPG coming soon

Crimson Desertone of the year's most anticipated games, has surpassed two million wishlists, setting the stage for an impressive launch on March 19. Since the announcement, Crimson Desert has caught the eye, especially among open-world RPG fans on platforms like Steam. In recent years, however, it has sparked widespread discussion within the gaming industry, largely due to its ambitious goals and bold efforts to deliver a complex, multi-layered gaming experience.

In September 2025, developer Pearl Abyss confirmed the release date for Crimson DesertMarch 19, 2026 as the big day. So far, the developer has stayed on track, with no signs of delays. As the release approaches, interest in the game continues to grow, with more players pledging to play it. The excitement has actually been so great that many people are already calling Crimson Desert one of the biggest releases of 2026, a year that also includes major titles such as GTA 6.

Crimson Desert Open World Bigger Than Red Dead Redemption 2 Skyrim

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New Open World Game Is Bigger Than Red Dead Redemption 2, Twice The Size Of Skyrim

A new fantasy RPG is aiming big, with its developers claiming an open world bigger than Red Dead Redemption 2 and roughly twice the size of Skyrim.

Crimson Desert crosses two million wishlists

On Crimson DesertPearl Abyss's Twitter recently announced that the game has passed two million wishlists. Although the official post doesn't specify, this issue appears to include wishlists on all major platforms. According to estimates from Raijin.gg, Crimson Desert has nearly a million wishlists on Steam alone, with the rest likely spread across the Epic Games Store and Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

Pearl Abyss has already confirmed it Crimson Desert has turned gold, indicating that development is largely complete, and the team is now focused on polishing and optimization. The studio has also shared exciting news with fans, teasing features such as additional playable characters and PS5 Pro support, which likely contributed to the increase in cross-platform wishlists.

According to SteamDB data, Crimson Desert ranks #17 among all upcoming Steam games in overall wishlists. Subnautica 2 however, still leads the chart followed by titles such as Deadlock and Resident Evil Requiem. It's also worth noting that Pearl Abyss' $70 game is among Steam's top 100 bestsellers, showing that many players aren't just bookmarking the game — they've already pre-ordered it.

High wish lists do not necessarily mean success

While Crimson Deserts wish list milestone is impressive, history shows that high pre-release numbers do not guarantee success. Several games in recent years have topped wishlists, only to flop at launch and become huge disappointments. A notable example is The day beforewhich once topped Steam's most wanted games but ended up as one of the worst releases ever, even contributing to the developer's closure.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)

Of course, Crimson Desert unlikely to face the same disastrous launch as games like The day beforebecause the developer has invested time in polishing it. Given the scale of its open world universe and the advanced technologies involved, such as volumetric clouds, beam marching lighting, and beam reconstruction, the March 19 release faces a high level of optimization. Fans are now hoping for a smooth launch that will captivate the millions of open-world RPG enthusiasts eagerly counting down the days to play Crimson Desert.