Crimson Desert Charting the Unknown Reviews: Mostly Positive

By GameDrop Staff · Oct 31, 2026 · Releases · 2 min read

Crimson Desert Charting the Unknown key art — Image: Pearl Abyss

Crimson Desert's first paid expansion, Charting the Unknown, launched on October 29 for $24.99, and early player reaction is positive but not glowing. On Steam it sits at "Mostly Positive", with 78 percent of its first 261 reviews recommending it, according to GamingBolt's count on October 30. SteamDB showed a similar picture (about 71 percent across 211 reviews) at a slightly different moment, so expect the number to keep moving.

Quick summary

Steam rating: Mostly Positive, 78% of 261 reviews at the time of GamingBolt's report
Concurrent peak: 19,954 players on Steam since DLC launch
Price: $24.99; the base game (Crimson Desert Enhanced) is required
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Mac
Critic review scores: not yet gathered here; wait for full reviews before judging

What do Steam reviews say about Charting the Unknown?

"Mostly Positive" is Steam's label for scores in the 70 to 79 percent range. For a $24.99 add-on to a game that has had seven months of free updates, that is a solid but cautious welcome. Early reviews are a small sample made mostly of the most dedicated players, so scores often shift in the first week.

How many people are playing the DLC?

GamingBolt reports a peak of 19,954 concurrent Steam players for the game since the expansion arrived. That is respectable, but far below the more than 276,000 Steam players the base game reached at launch, and a step down from the Enhanced Update launch. DLC peaks are normally lower than a full launch because only existing owners who finished the story are the audience. Console numbers are not public, so the Steam figure is only part of the picture.

What does the expansion add?

According to Xbox Wire and Pearl Abyss, the DLC adds three new storylines (Kliff, Oongka and Damiane), ocean exploration with ship building, diving, underwater ruins and new mounts, plus new bosses and the Garden of Trials challenge arena. Pearl Abyss's patch notes, summarised by G2A, also describe romance, housing and construction, businesses and stronghold management. For the details, see our ships, ocean and marriage unlock guide and our Garden of Trials guide.

Crimson Desert Charting the Unknown screenshot — Image: Pearl Abyss

Do you need to finish the main game first?

For the story content, yes. Pearl Abyss's Will Powers told Dropped Frames that the new stories take place after the main game and work as an epilogue for all three characters, as reported by GamesRadar. You can explore the new open-world areas without finishing, but you must have established the Greymane camp in Chapter 3. GamesRadar's start guide lists the quest triggers for each storyline.

Is it worth buying?

Factor	What we know
Price	$24.99
Scope	Large new map, ships, diving, housing, romance, bosses
Reception	Mostly Positive on Steam (early)
Best for	Players who finished the story and want more systems
Wait if	You have not finished the base game or want critic scores first

Our read: if you already love the sandbox side of Pywel, the content volume makes it an easy pick. If you are mid-story, the DLC will be there later, and a sale or a patch could improve the deal. Check our PC requirements and best settings guide before you install.