Crimson Desert Hits 3 Million Wishlists Before March 19 Launch

3 Million and Climbing

Pearl Abyss's open-world action RPG Crimson Desert has crossed 3 million wishlists across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Mac, the South Korean studio announced on social media this week. "3 million wishlists! A huge thank you for making Crimson Desert one of your most anticipated games," the official account wrote. "We're in the final countdown to March 19 — prepare yourselves for the world of Pywel!"

The milestone places the title among the most wishlisted games in Steam history, according to Forbes, putting it in the company of Elden Ring's 2.8 million and Starfield's 3.1 million pre-launch wishlists. With two weeks still remaining before the March 19 release, the count is expected to climb further.

Among the Most Wishlisted Games Ever

Crimson Desert's pre-launch wishlist count now sits in rare company. Here's how it compares to other blockbuster RPGs at the same stage:

A Sprawling Single-Player Departure

Crimson Desert marks a sharp pivot for Pearl Abyss, the studio behind the microtransaction-heavy MMO Black Desert Online. The game follows protagonist Kliff and his mercenary band, the Greymanes, across the continent of Pywel in what the studio describes as a fully single-player experience.

During a presentation earlier this year, Pearl Abyss said the game's open-world playable area is at least twice the size of Skyrim, with a total map surpassing that of Red Dead Redemption 2. The shift from live-service MMO to narrative-driven single-player RPG signals a studio betting everything on a premium experience.

What to Watch

The question now is whether Pearl Abyss can convert 3 million wishlists into first-week sales that rival the Elden Ring–Starfield tier. With no early review copies confirmed yet, launch-day reception will be critical. If the studio delivers on its promise of a premium, single-player action RPG at this scale — no live-service strings attached — Crimson Desert could be 2026's biggest new IP launch.

Sources

Wishlist milestone from Pearl Abyss official social media. Historical wishlist comparisons from Forbes. Map size claims from Pearl Abyss presentation, reported by GamingBolt (March 4, 2026).