Crimson Desert players unearth next DLC location in-game after Charting The Unknown launch

Pearl Abyss is on a generational run, launching Crimson Desert and Charting The Unknown within the same year.

Crimson Desert is surely worthy of a GOTY nomination alone. It also offers one of the year’s most enormous open-worlds, yet that’s somehow doubled in size by the new DLC expansion.

Charting The Unknown has gone down a storm with its Assassin’s Creed Black Flag-esque gameplay, with the DLC set across and under the Great Ocean of Pywel.

With naval and underwater travel introduced, plus the Great Ocean featuring an array of islands, there’s plenty to explore and keep you busy.

I hope you’re ready for more though, as it’s widely believed that Pearl Abyss may be beavering away on a second DLC with players already having found the most likely in-game location.

Crimson Desert’s second DLC will leave the ocean for the sun-scorched desert

There’s a fan theory, shared by Twitter/X user TheRealZephryss, that Crimson Desert’s next expansion will be set in an area known as the Sunbaked Peaks.

Charting The Unknown expanded the game’s map to the east and south. Sunbaked Peaks is found in the north-east corner of the map.

It forms the east border, specifically, of the titular Crimson Desert region.

As shared by TheRealZephryss, players have spotted a number of peculiar developments there: “Developers added the area a long time ago and have been secretly working on it BTS. Players have spotted unused structures such as a hidden village or fort facing Varnia. But you can't go there now.”

It’s a logical theory. Why have the place name Crookrock Crag featured within the inaccessible region if we're not one day going to be able to visit?

If you do currently attempt to enter the Sunbaked Peaks, you’ll find yourself in a stubborn sandstorm and eventually reload back in-bounds.

Charting The Unknown didn’t merely grant us access to a new location. It also introduced tons of new and improved features, including expanded housing options, the introduction of romance, the addition of diving and sailing, and more.

It does make you wonder what’s possibly left to add to the game. While the game features a wide array of mounts, its breeding system is quite limited. Perhaps we could see Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane able to raise all kinds of unique creatures?

This is merely speculation for now, as is the theory that we’ll be heading to Sunbaked Peaks next, but it’s one fans are all in for.

“Devs really said hold on we’re still cooking,” replied GmaTriston.

READ MORE: Crimson Desert's Charting The Unknown DLC includes the coolest out of bounds secret

Crimson Desert looks to be planning several more DLCs

Many other players shared other potential DLC locations as Sunbaked Peaks is far from the only option.

“Also The Everfrost, it's a huge new area that you can’t get in yet,” said HoratiuNotar.

“There’s also a whole unused area here between the newly added towns of the Forgotten City and Pailune,” added meier_blair.

That latter unused location is smaller in scale, but certainly provides scope for further expansion of some form, even if it’s not on the scale of a major paid DLC. Perhaps something base players will gain access to?

As for The Everfrost, that’s another major contender. It’s located on the opposite side of the map to Sunbaked Peaks, situated west of Hernand.

We’ve had an ocean DLC. A desert DLC and snowy DLC both feel like things that’ll eventually happen so I suppose the question now becomes, which will arrive first?

With Pearl Abyss working at breakneck speed, it’s likely that we’ll see Crimson Desert continue to expand and impress in 2027.