Creators of Crimson Desert, Pearl Abyss, share new details ahead of its March 19 launch. Learn more about its sprawling open world of Pywel and its main protagonist, Kliff.
Crimson Desert Reveals More Details About Its Heroes and Vast Open World
Introducing Kliff and The Greymanes
Crimson Desert, Pearl Abyss’ ambitious open-world action RPG, just got bigger as new details from the game’s official pages reveal more than just a single playable character.
While The Greymanes’ leader Kliff is Crimson Desert’s central character, Pearl Abyss’ recently released video has also unveiled two new playable characters. Details about their origins and personalities are still scarce, but the features overview offers brief glimpses of their abilities, teasing that, "each character has their own combat styles as well as skills and weapons." One is a large, burly barbarian-like, seen smashing enemies with his axe, while the other is an agile woman wielding a sword and handgun, providing a faster, more versatile alternative for players who prefer speed and mobility.
Pearl Abyss has confirmed that players can switch to the two additional characters (and presumably more) to freely explore Pywel. According to them, players can undertake numerous quests outside the main story with these characters, expanding the game’s scope beyond Kliff’s journey.
Pearl Abyss Reveals More on Kliff’s Backstory
The 15-minute trailer also revealed more about the enigmatic protagonist’s adventures, including his story and motivations.
After an ambush by the Black Bears (the Greymane’s rival faction) in their base of operations in Pailune, Kliff’s group is scattered, with many presumed dead. As a result, he vows to reclaim his missing clan, reuniting any surviving allies and making his rivals pay. Along the way, Kliff is drawn into a world‑ending threat tied to the Abyss, the mysterious realm beyond in Crimson Desert’s lore. Like many RPG stories, the hero must navigate a dangerous path of saving both his people and the world from impending catastrophe.
While the game spans multiple playable characters, players primarily assume the role of Kliff, the seasoned warrior mercenary and leader of the Greymanes, a band of freedom fighters from Pywel’s northern region of Pailune. Similar to a Link‑style hero from The Legend of Zelda, he is granted magical powers by mysterious spirits, like angelic wings, to aid him on his grand journey.
Unlike most open-world RPGs where players can customize their own heroes, Kliff is a fixed, defined character. However, players can freely swap between other characters.
Crimson Desert’s Open World of Pywel
But the world of Crimson Desert is not only limited to its characters. Being an open-world game, the realm of Pywel is also a vast open-world divided into five unique biomes:
⚫︎ Hernand - An idyllic region teeming with mountainous terrain and rivers.
⚫︎ Pailune - Located in the northernmost region of Pywel, this the home to the Greymanes and protagonist, Kliff.
⚫︎ Demeniss - The political and military center of Pywel with an imposing castle at its center.
⚫︎ Delsyia - A region with technological and scientific power.
⚫︎Crimson Desert - The eponymous Crimson Desert is a large and dry expanse packed with lawlessness and danger.
Pearl Abyss also highlights the wide range of activities and side content available across these biomes. These include escort missions and helping NPCs liberate enemy-occupied fortresses. Beyond structured objectives, Pywel is filled with optional discoveries for curious players, from hidden treasures and environmental secrets to powerful bosses lurking off the beaten path. Kliff can also be seen riding dragons and mechs in the trailer.
Players have also taken to social media like X (formerly Twitter) after noticing that Crimson Desert’s vast open-world draws clear inspiration from titles that came before it. In the 15-minute features-overview trailer, players can spot familiar gameplay mechanics reminiscent of other popular games. For instance, Kliff is shown manipulating environmental objects using an ability similar to Link’s "Ultrahand" in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Similarly, its approach to exploration and base-building also mirrors that of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series, where players liberate areas of the map from rival factions, unlocking resources and using them to rebuild the Greymane’s home.
While this is only the first features-overview video Pearl Abyss has released, presumably as part of a larger series, Crimson Desert is already shaping up to be a major release in early 2026. With its vast open world and wealth of activities, it has the potential to stand toe-to-toe with other highly anticipated open-world titles this year, including Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto VI.
Crimson Desert launches on March 19 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
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