Crimson Desert could be game of the year if GTA 6 fails, says former Rockstar animator

Although 2026 has already seen some excellent releases with many more on the way, Grand Theft Auto 6 is poised to dominate the year in sales – and the game's double delay has done little to dampen excitement around the long-awaited sequel.

But the next entry in the GTA series isn't the only open-world game launching this year. According to former Rockstar Games animator Mike York, Crimson Desert from Pearl Abyss could be in contention for Game of the Year – if GTA 6 somehow drops the ball.

"This game, this could be Game of the Year, okay. Mark my words," said York – who previously worked on GTA V and God of War Ragnarok – in a recent breakdown of Crimson Desert's features.

"And the reason for that is because of how much you can get lost in this game... it really is a contender when it comes to all the cool stuff all this game kind of has to offer."

"If GTA VI drops the ball, this could be Game of the Year," York added. "If GTA 6 wasn't here at all this year, Crimson Desert would probably take Game of the Year, from what it looks like."There's still plenty unknown about Crimson Desert – particularly how its wide variety of mechanics will come together, and whether the story will leave a lasting impression. Still, York sounds cautiously optimistic, praising the game's physics-based interactivity, mechanical depth, and impressive level of world-building detail. Coming from someone who has worked on some of the best games in the industry, that's high praise.

Crimson Desert is set to launch on March 19, 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series.