He believes that if Grand Theft Auto VI does not live up to Rockstar‘s usual high standards, it could still be the hit game of 2026.

Several excellent games have already been released in 2026, and many more are expected; however, Grand Theft Auto VI is still expected to dominate the year in terms of sales. Even two delays have not dampened the excitement surrounding the highly anticipated next installment in the series. The next installment of the popular franchise isn’t the only open-world game coming out this year. Among them, Pearl Abyss‘s Crimson Desert could be the game of the year if Grand Theft Auto VI happens to fail, according to a former Rockstar Games animator.

“This game could be Game of the Year. Mark my words. The reason is how much you can get lost in it. It really is a contender because of all the cool stuff it has to offer. If Grand Theft Auto VI drops the ball, this could be Game of the Year. If GTA VI wasn’t released this year, Crimson Desert would probably win Game of the Year,” stated former Grand Theft Auto V and God of War: Ragnarök animator Mike York in a recent breakdown of Crimson Desert’s features.

Obviously, a lot is still unknown about Crimson Desert, especially how its diverse features and mechanics will come together and whether its story will be memorable. However, based on what we’ve seen so far, York is cautiously optimistic about the game, especially in terms of physics-based interactivity, mechanical depth, and the impressive detail of the world-building. Coming from someone with an impressive résumé who has worked on some of the best games ever made, that seems like high praise indeed.

However, the idea that Grand Theft Auto VI cannot compete with Crimson Desert is a huge “if.” Although Rockstar Games rarely makes mistakes, many have pointed out that Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 were not flawless at launch. Therefore, Crimson Desert still has a chance. It is set to release on March 19 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.

Source: WCCFTech