Crimson Desert Map Reportedly Twice the Size of Skyrim, Nearly as Large as Elden Ring

After years of anticipation, RPG fans will soon be able to experience a brand-new premium title from Pearl Abyss, with Crimson Desert scheduled to arrive no later than March. The developer, known for its success in the MMO space, is shifting toward a full single-player experience this time, building upon familiar foundations while aiming for a more cinematic and narrative-driven adventure. Recently, the game has also been previewed by international media outlets, including This Is Game SEA.

As the new year begins, Pearl Abyss representatives shared additional insights during the New Game+ Showcase 2026, a recent industry event that highlighted upcoming titles. One of the most talked-about revelations was the sheer scale of the game’s open world. Given that Crimson Desert is designed as a fully explorable open-world RPG, the size and density of its map have naturally become a major point of interest for players.

According to Pearl Abyss, the world of Crimson Desert is expected to be approximately twice the size of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which is estimated to span around 37 to 40 square kilometers. Based on this comparison, Crimson Desert may offer close to 80 square kilometers of playable terrain. This places it in a similar range to Elden Ring, and notably larger than Red Dead Redemption 2, which features a much more compact explorable area. On paper, this suggests a world built for long journeys and extended exploration.

Despite the impressive scale, questions remain about how content will be distributed across the map. Previous criticism of Black Desert pointed to large spaces with scattered points of interest and roaming enemies. For a premium offline single-player game, careful placement of activities, encounters, and narrative elements will be crucial to prevent the world from feeling empty. Pearl Abyss has addressed this concern directly, stating that the team has no intention of creating a world that is large but lacking meaningful content.

Crimson Desert was first announced in 2019 and was initially envisioned as a successor to Black Desert Online. Development later shifted toward a fully offline single-player RPG experience. The story follows Macduff, a mercenary who journeys to the vast kingdom of Pywel, only to confront painful memories and dark truths from his past.

The game is scheduled to launch on March 20 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Pre-orders are now open for both the Standard and Deluxe Editions, with early purchasers receiving bonus in-game items including the Khaled Shield armor.