Crimson Desert Charting the Unknown DLC release date, price and new features
Crimson Desert may only have launched in March but it’s already preparing to drop its first DLC.
Pearl Abyss has revealed that the Charting The Unknown paid expansion will launch across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 15 at a cost of £19.99 / $24.99 with Crimson Desert DLC pre-orders already open - including an exclusive pre-order bonus. Unfortunately, the DLC will no longer launch in the United Arab Emirates with pre-orders there in the midst of being refunded.
Charting The Unknown is set to introduce a new region filled with formidable enemies and underwater exploration, while also finally introducing deeper relationship mechanics in what is shaping up to be a hefty expansion to the base game experience.
When is the Crimson Desert DLC release date?
Crimson Desert: Charting The Unknown launches on Thursday, October 15, 2026 although this may translate to Friday, October 16 in some regions due to global rollout times.
What time does Charting The Unknown release in the USA and UK?
Crimson Desert’s DLC launch time differs based on regional availability. Pearl Abyss will unlock Charting The Unknown at 22:00 UTC on October 15 which aligns with 11pm BST in the UK on October 15, and 12am CEST on October 16 in Central Europe.
In the USA, West Coast gamers can dive in at 3pm PT on October 15 with access unlocking on the East Coast at 6pm ET on October 15.
In Korea and Japan, Charting The Unknown’s release time is at 7am KST/JST on October 16.
Can you pre-load Crimson Desert: Charting The Unknown DLC?
Pearl Abyss is yet to confirm whether Charting The Unknown will be provided as a pre-load, although the base game Crimson Desert was made available to download 48-hours ahead of launch, so it’s likely that we could see a repeat of that rollout.
As soon as a pre-load date and time are confirmed, we’ll bring that to you, alongside the DLC’s download size.
How much does Charting The Unknown cost?
The Crimson Desert DLC price is £19.99 in the UK and $24.99 in the USA.
Crimson Desert: Charting The Unknown DLC Pre-Order | PlayStation UK
This is the game’s first paid expansion and it is not included with any pre-existing versions of Crimson Desert. Charting The Unknown is not included in the free Enhanced Edition upgrade.
Do you need Crimson Desert to play Charting The Unknown?
Access to Crimson Desert: Charting The Unknown is reliant on also owning a copy of the base game Crimson Desert. Both products are sold separately.
You must purchase the Charting The Unknown DLC on the same platform as your copy of the base game.
What is included with the Charting The Unknown pre-order?
Those who pre-order Crimson Desert DLC Charting The Unknown across all platforms will receive a Charter’s Diving Set cosmetic outfit for both Kliff and Oongka as well as the Charter’s Light Diving Set cosmetic outfit for Damiane.
If you own Crimson Desert Enhanced or Crimson Desert Enhanced Deluxe Edition, the PlayStation Store is advertising a 10% discount on Charting The Unknown on the DLC’s store listing. The offer is not mentioned or replicated on PC or Xbox.
Which platforms is the Crimson Desert DLC coming to and is there a physical edition?
Crimson Desert DLC Charting The Unknown is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store.
A listing is not yet live on the Epic Games Store. Charting The Unknown will not launch on Mac, nor is it available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, or Nintendo Switch 2.
PlayStation users will be able to enjoy a PS5 Pro Enhanced version of the DLC which should feature improved frame rates and better graphical fidelity courtesy of PSSR upscaling.
A physical edition is not currently available as this is an add-on experience.
What does Charting The Unknown add to Crimson Desert?
While the Charting The Unknown DLC’s download size and length is yet to be announced, Pearl Abyss has confirmed the following new gameplay features:
- Ships and ocean exploration
- New islands
- Underwater diving
- Treasures and submerged ruins
- New enemies and battles
- New storylines for Kliff, Oongka and Damiane
- Upgraded housing
- Rentable and manageable facilities
- Deeper relationships with Pywel’s inhabitants
Ships, sailing, and underwater exploration
Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane are set to take to the high seas with Crimson Desert: Charting The Unknown introducing a new ship that can be piloted by the player to explore new island locations away from the base game’s established regions.
Additionally, players can now explore beneath the ocean’s surface across Pywel. Charting The Unknown will add a dive mechanic as well as a shark underwater mount, allowing players to travel underwater at speed.
Underwater content includes:
- Diving beneath the waves
- Sunken ruins
- Hidden mysteries
- Underwater treasures
- New threats on land and at sea
Upgraded housing and facility management
Developer Pearl Abyss is set to introduce new base-building mechanics in Crimson Desert’s DLC gameplay.
Players of Charting The Unknown will soon be able to:
- Build and customise a home
- Rent different facilities
- Manage those facilities to make money
- Develop deeper relationships with Pywel’s inhabitants
While players of the base game can develop the Greymane Camp and decorate the interior of a personal house, Charting The Unknown looks set to expand the scale, even adding businesses into the mix that the player can generate profits from.
Pearl Abyss has made reference to developing deeper relationships with Pywel’s NPCs, and it’s thought that this may include romance options, although this is not outright confirmed at this stage. In the gameplay trailer for the DLC, Kliff is shown to get down on one knee and deliver a bunch of flowers to an NPC, a classic romantic gesture.
New storylines, characters, and enemies
Pearl Abyss is keeping Charting The Unknown’s plot largely under wraps, although Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane’s journeys are all set to continue.
The DLC is set to include the following story threads:
- An ominous presence in the desert
- A dangerous political conflict
- A journey beyond time
- An ancient secret beneath the waves
Players should expect to face off against new bosses and foes, with the DLC’s trailer showcasing several large-scale mechanical enemies.
Pearl Abyss has not yet detailed at which point in Crimson Desert the DLC will unlock or whether players need to have rolled credits on the base game.