The 2026 Game of the Year conversation is already heating up, and we’re only in February. While many have already anointed Grand Theft Auto VI as the inevitable winner, one former Rockstar Games animator is urging the industry to keep an eye on a dark horse candidate launching next month: Crimson Desert.
Mike York, a senior animator who worked on Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 during his six-year tenure at Rockstar, has issued a bold prediction about Pearl Abyss’ upcoming fantasy RPG. In a recent video analysis, York stated plainly: “This game, this could be Game of the Year, okay. Mark my words”.
Why Crimson Desert Could Contend
York’s optimism stems from the sheer depth and interactivity on display in Crimson Desert’s pre-release footage. “The reason for that is because of how much you can get lost in this game… it really is a contender when it comes to all the cool stuff all this game kind of has to offer”.
The game promises a seamless open world on the continent of Pywel, which developer Pearl Abyss has confirmed is “at least twice as big as the playable area of Skyrim” and larger than the map of Red Dead Redemption 2. Players take on the role of Kliff, a mercenary leader of the Greymanes faction, navigating a world fractured by war and supernatural threats from a dimension known as the Abyss.
Key features that have impressed York and other observers include:
- Three playable characters with distinct combat styles, unlocking as the story progresses
- Extreme traversal options, including gliding, piloting a rocket-armed combat mech, and even riding a dragon
- Physics-based interactivity allowing creative environmental manipulation
- Faction-driven quests, fortress sieges, and large-scale battles
- No microtransactions—Pearl Abyss has confirmed the $70 price tag is a “premium experience. That is the transaction. Full stop”
The GTA 6 Caveat
York is careful to contextualize his prediction. He acknowledges that for Crimson Desert to truly take the crown, Rockstar would need to stumble—something the studio rarely does. “If GTA VI drops the ball, this could be Game of the Year,” York said. “If GTA VI wasn’t here at all this year, this [Crimson Desert] would probably take Game of the Year, from what it looks like”.
The community response has been measured. As one Reddit user noted in response to York’s comments, “Please tell me when Rockstar dropped the ball in any of their games”. Others pointed out that while GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 were masterpieces, they weren’t flawless at launch, leaving a narrow window for competition.
The Timing Factor
Crimson Desert has a significant advantage: it launches March 19, 2026 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. With the game having already gone gold, it will be fresh in voters’ minds when awards season begins late in the year. GTA VI, by contrast, arrives November 19 —potentially too late for some award ceremonies like the Golden Joysticks, which typically occur just before.
York himself draws comparisons to his former work, suggesting Crimson Desert is “really catered toward the type of person that wants to play a game like Red Dead 2″—players seeking “something new [and] really massive that they can explore”. He estimates players could spend “probably a hundred hours in this game, if not more” and “really get your money’s worth because of how much stuff they’ve kind of crammed into one game”.
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The Verdict
Whether Crimson Desert can actually challenge the cultural juggernaut of Grand Theft Auto VI remains to be seen. What’s clear is that Pearl Abyss has built something ambitious enough to earn the respect of a veteran who helped craft two of the most beloved open-world games in history.
With a March release date locked in and over two million wishlists already recorded, Crimson Desert is poised to make its case long before players ever set foot in Vice City. The 2026 GOTY race may be more competitive than anyone anticipated.