Is Crimson Desert a Threat to Grand Theft Auto 6? An Ex-Rockstar Animator Says "Yes"

If you thought that Rockstar Games and Grand Theft Auto VI are both a shoo-in to grab this year's GOTY awards after winning the same award twice in a row, you might be wrong. Mike York, a former senior animator whose resume includes Grand Theft Auto V, Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War Ragnarok, Uncharted 2, and Mortal Kombat 11, thinks there is a challenger on the block.

York recently broke down gameplay footage from Pearl Abyss' Crimson Desert on his YouTube channel. His verdict was blunt. He called it a potential Game of the Year and said the only thing standing in its way is whether GTA 6 "drops the ball." York didn't stop there, either. He went further, saying that if GTA 6 wasn't launching this year at all, Crimson Desert would "probably take Game of the Year, from what it looks like."

To be clear, York isn't saying Crimson Desert will beat GTA 6. He's saying it could, an argument based on the sheer density of what Pearl Abyss is offering. He compared the experience to Red Dead Redemption 2, saying players could easily sink a hundred hours or more into Crimson Desert and still have things to do. He praised the environmental physics, combat systems, variety of traversal options, and level of detail in the world-building.

The comparison to Red Dead Redemption 2 specifically is interesting because that game remains Rockstar's last major release, having launched in 2018. Everything we expect from GTA 6 in terms of open-world immersion, environmental detail, and NPC interactions is built on the foundation that RDR2 established. York is essentially saying that Crimson Desert is targeting that same audience, the players who want to get lost in a massive world for hundreds of hours.

Crimson Desert is set in the continent of Pywel, which Pearl Abyss claims is at least twice the size of Skyrim and larger than RDR2's map. Players follow a Greymane warrior named Kliff on a revenge story that the studio estimates will take 50 to 80 hours to complete, with progression tied to exploration and combat rather than traditional XP grinding.

In-game, players can ride horses, glide, grapple across surfaces, climb walls, and even mount dragons. The combat is described as player-led, with a combo system that rewards preparation rather than button mashing. The game also features multiple playable characters, with York noting similarities with GTA V's three-protagonist system, except Crimson Desert takes a more fantasy approach.

York also didn't ignore the game's rough edges. He flagged instances of foliage looking blurry and pixelated, as well as some clipping issues throughout the footage. but those criticisms weren't enough to sour his overall opinion of the game.

Timing works in Crimson Desert's favor. It launches March 19, a full eight months before GTA 6's November 19 release, giving it a substantial window to build a player base and critical reputation before Rockstar's title consumes everything. The game has already gone gold and surpassed two million wishlists across all platforms.

Now, here's the reality check. Saying Crimson Desert could beat GTA 6 for Game of the Year requires GTA 6 to underperform, and Rockstar's track record makes that a tough bet. Rockstar's not known for "dropping the ball". If anything, they're more likely to stir controversy and overperform, but it's also worth noting that GTA V and RDR2 weren't flawless at launch, and GTA 6 has been delayed twice, with reports from Jason Schreier suggesting the game may not even be content complete yet. The possibility of another delay, or a launch that doesn't fully meet the astronomical expectations might be small, but never zero.

It's also worth remembering that GTA 6's November 19 launch date could create eligibility issues for certain award shows. The Golden Joystick Awards typically wrap up around the same time, which could limit GTA 6's ability to accumulate wins the way Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 did with its record-breaking 436-plus Game of the Year awards in 2025.

Between Crimson Desert in March, Resident Evil Requiem in February, Marvel's Wolverine later in the year, and several other high-profile releases, this isn't a year where GTA 6 can coast on hype alone. It has to deliver. Other AAA games on the wings are ready to fill any vacuum.

Will Crimson Desert pull off an upset similar to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 did? We'll know for sure next month. Ambitious trailers and developer praise are one thing, the finished product is another. If Pearl Abyss delivers even half of what it's showing, GTA 6 might have its first real competition for the biggest game of 2026.