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Crimson Desert Charting the Unknown DLC Adds Ship Exploration
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Pearl Abyss has announced Charting the Unknown, a new downloadable expansion for Crimson Desert, launching on October 15, 2026. The add-on introduces ship-based exploration, underwater discovery, new enemies and storylines, and an upgraded housing mode, with pre-orders rolling out across console and PC storefronts beginning September 3, 2026.
The expansion is priced at $24.99 and requires the base game Crimson Desert Enhanced to play, according to the official Steam store page. Pearl Abyss is listed as both the developer and publisher of the title.
Release Date and Pre-Order Details
Charting the Unknown unlocks at different times depending on region. According to Pearl Abyss’s announcement, the DLC releases in Europe at 22:00 UTC on October 15, 2026, corresponding to midnight CEST on October 16; in North America at 15:00 PT and 18:00 ET on October 15; and in Asia at 7:00 KST/JST on October 16, 2026.
Pre-orders opened on September 3, 2026, starting with the PlayStation Store at 3:00 PM UTC, followed by Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store at 9:00 PM UTC. Players who pre-order receive an exclusive bonus: the Charter’s Diving Set for Kliff and Oongka, and the Charter’s Light Diving Set for Damiane.
An official trailer, titled Crimson Desert Enhanced: Charting the Unknown | Official DLC Reveal Trailer, was published on the Crimson Desert YouTube channel alongside the announcement.
Ship Exploration and New Threats
Under the tagline “Reach Beyond, Into the Unknown,” Pearl Abyss describes an adventure that extends beyond Pywel’s shores. Players can take command of their own ship and set sail across the ocean to explore new islands off the coast.
Beneath the waves, players can dive to uncover underwater treasures, sunken ruins, and hidden mysteries, according to the official DLC page.
The expansion also introduces new enemies. Pearl Abyss said formidable foes await across land and sea, each bringing new dangers to overcome, and that players can adapt their tactics as they face some of their fiercest battles yet.
Housing, Facilities, and New Stories
Charting the Unknown expands the game’s life in Pywel beyond combat. Players can rent and manage a variety of facilities to earn their fortune, and an upgraded Housing mode lets them build a home of their own. Pearl Abyss said players can also talk with the people of Pywel to forge deeper bonds.
New stories unfold across Pywel, spanning an ominous presence in the desert, a dangerous political conflict, a journey beyond time, and an ancient secret beneath the waves. Players follow Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane as they forge their own paths forward, discover their purpose, and shape their destinies.
Base Game and PC Version Details
Crimson Desert casts players as Kliff the Greymane, forging their own path in the open world of Pywel. The base game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Mac, and the Epic Games Store in Standard and Deluxe digital editions, with physical Standard, Deluxe, and Collector’s editions also offered. The official site states that current Crimson Desert owners will receive a free upgrade to the Enhanced edition.
On PC, the Steam listing classifies the expansion as a single-player action-adventure title and states support for 15 languages. The listing requires 150 GB of storage space with an SSD, 16 GB of RAM, and a 64-bit Windows 10 system at minimum, and notes that the game incorporates third-party Denuvo Anti-tamper DRM.
In the store page’s AI-generated-content disclosure, the developers state that generative AI technology is used in a supplementary capacity during the creation of some 2D prop assets, and that any such assets are replaced through their production pipeline by the art and development teams. The developers describe the content as violent with depictions of gore.
Crimson Desert Enhanced: Charting the Unknown will not be available on the Mac App Store at launch. Pearl Abyss said it will provide a separate announcement with further details should the content be planned for release on Mac in the future.
