10 January 2026

Crimson Desert’s Open World Is Bigger Than Red Dead 2, Twice the Size of Skyrim

By newsgame

Crimson Desert already looks like one of the most ambitious open-world RPGs in years, with developer Pearl Abyss recently confirming that the game’s sprawling continent of Pywel will be significantly larger than some of the biggest worlds in gaming. According to new information from PR director Will Powers during an exclusive interview with Gaming Interviews on YouTube, the playable world in Crimson Desert will be at least twice the size of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim‘s open world and larger than the map of Red Dead Redemption 2. As such, when the game launches on March 19, 2026, players should have plenty of space to explore and a medieval fantasy playground packed with activities.

Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure game from South Korean developer Pearl Abyss, set on the war-torn fantasy continent of Pywel and built on the studio’s BlackSpace Engine. In the game, players take on the role of mercenary Kliff as he navigates political conflict, battles mythical creatures, and ultimately forges his own path through quests, exploration, and combo-centric combat. Originally envisioned as a prequel to Black Desert Online, the project eventually evolved into a standalone single-player experience focused on immersive world-building and gameplay.

Crimson Desert’s Open World Is Larger Than Red Dead Redemption 2’s and Double Skyrim’s

In a conversation with YouTube channel Gaming Interviews, Pearl Abyss PR director Will Powers compared the size of Crimson Desert‘s open world to two of the most notable open worlds in the industry—The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption 2. “I don’t think numbers really do it justice because, how big is that in terms of scope and scale?” Powers said. “But what we can say is that the world’s at least twice as big as the open world, the playable area, of Skyrim. It’s larger than the map of Red Dead Redemption 2.”

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim’s Open World Size

Skyrim‘s playable map is widely estimated at about 37 square kilometers, which is approximately 14.3 square miles. This measurement comes from calculations using the game’s cell grid and heightmap data, and is generally accepted by players and map analysts.

Red Dead Redemption 2’s Open World Size

Red Dead Redemption 2‘s world is significantly larger than Skyrim‘s. Community and map-analysis results typically estimate it around 70–75 square kilometers (27–29 square miles). This would make RDR2‘s map roughly twice the size of Skyrim‘s.

Based on what players and map analysts have discovered, Red Dead Redemption 2‘s map may already be twice the size of Skyrim‘s, with its borders stretching 70–75 kilometers and Skyrim‘s open world being around 37 square kilometers. However, there are a few things that should be noted here. Firstly, exact official figures on map size from developers are rare, including these, which are based on player measurements rather than official announcements. Secondly, if the size of Red Dead Redemption 2‘s world leans more on the 70 kilometers side of things, then it would actually be less than double the size of Skyrim‘s.

Assuming that’s the case, then Crimson Desert‘s open world truly can be both larger than Red Dead Redemption 2‘s open world and twice the size of Skyrim‘s. If it is at least twice the size of Skyrim‘s open world and player analyses are accurate, then the scale of the upcoming action-adventure game’s map could reach anywhere from 74 square kilometers and higher. To put that into perspective, a world of that size would place Crimson Desert well above many modern open-world RPGs that are often praised for their scope. Even open worlds like those in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Elden Ring would fall comfortably below it in raw landmass, while few single-player fantasy games outside of something like The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall have ever attempted that level of scale.

What matters now is execution, as open-world games aren’t inherently considered quality because of their size. History has shown that massive maps can just as easily feel empty as they can immersive, depending on how well they are paced, populated, and designed around player curiosity. If Pearl Abyss can ensure that Pywel manages to capture the same magic that open-world games like Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring found success in, then Crimson Desert’s ambitious world could become one of its greatest strengths when players finally step into it on March 19, 2026.