The year 2026 seemed to belong entirely to one game: GTA 6 (Grand Theft Auto VI). However, with Rockstar Games keeping quiet and virtually no marketing efforts so far this year, Crimson Desert is stealing the show.
You can check out more GTA 6 content in the video from our partner SanInPlay:
As its release approaches, Crimson Desert has just surpassed the almighty GTA 6 in terms of online hype.
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Crimson Desert’s hype surpasses GTA 6
Google Trends data shows a striking turnaround. Over the past three months, global interest in Crimson Desert has skyrocketed since late February and early March.
- Web Search: Pearl Abyss’s action RPG has skyrocketed, surpassing the steady interest in GTA 6.
- YouTube: The difference is even more striking on YouTube. Searches for Crimson Desert have climbed aggressively, leaving searches for GTA 6 in the dust.
Check out the charts below:
Ousting Rockstar right in the year of GTA 6’s release is a historic achievement for Pearl Abyss. It’s obvious that if Rockstar were to say even a single word about the new GTA, the entire internet would stop, but Crimson Desert is taking full advantage of their absolute silence to shine.
Former Rockstar employee believes in Crimson Desert’s potential
And it’s not just the fans who are impressed. Mike York, a former animator at Rockstar Games (who worked on GTA 5 and also on God of War Ragnarok), has provided technical analyses full of praise for the title.
For York, the mechanics, the revolutionary physics, and the possibilities for interaction in the open world are the major standout features.
He was categorical in his opinion: if GTA 6 slips up, fails to meet expectations, or even gets pushed back to 2027, Crimson Desert is the natural contender to win Game of the Year (GOTY).
Crimson Desert review leak fuels anticipation
To add even more fuel to the fire, a supposed leak of early impressions has surfaced in recent days. Spanish content creator Revenantreportedly shared details after playing a review copy for 50 hours, before the video was deleted.
Here are the main highlights of what was leaked:
- Combat: This is the standout feature. Very deep, large-scale, and comparable to Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden, but within an open world.
- Interaction: The game’s physics let you use the environment to your advantage, such as using trees (or even enemies themselves) as slingshots.
- Scale and World: The world and mission design is compared to Red Dead Redemption 2, with exploration mechanics reminiscent of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The game is massive (50 hours and still in the first region).
- Atmosphere: A soundtrack on par with The Witcher 3, a sense of scale similar to Shadow of the Colossus, and very dark nights in the style of Dragon’s Dogma.
In short, Rockstar Games’ GTA 6 (Grand Theft Auto VI) is coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X on November 19, 2026.
Check out: GTA 6 Trailer 3? Rockstar Games makes an unusual move and clears its entire schedule
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Source: Google Trends
