It seems the hype for Crimson Desert is reaching a fever pitch. After lingering in the mid-to-high tiers of the global charts last week, it steadily climbed, hitting second place on the 16th and finally dethroning Slay the Spire 2 for the top spot on the 17th.

Crimson Desert announced a milestone of 3 million wishlists on March 3, which coincided with its ascent to the upper echelons of Steam's global charts. It entered around the 4th or 5th spot and held firm even as Resident Evil: Requiem, Marathon, and Slay the Spire 2 made waves. From the 16th, it jumped to second, eventually claiming the crown by the 17th.

This momentum is likely fueled by the influx of impressions from those who got their hands on early demos, not to mention the release date drawing ever closer. On the 11th, hardware performance details dropped, and the consensus seems to be that the optimisation is quite tidy. The prior reveal of its sprawling world and visual fidelity, coupled with a promise of rich content, has certainly set expectations high.

The game follows our protagonist, Kliff, on his journey through the continent of Pywel. Beyond the terrestrial plains, you’ll be able to uncover the secrets of the world by exploring the floating islands of the Abyss, with plenty of gathering, crafting, and exploration to keep you busy between battles. Crimson Desert officially launches on the 20th at 7 AM.

Elsewhere on the charts, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (PC version) has climbed to 10th place ahead of its launch on the 19th, just a day before Crimson Desert. Meanwhile, Split Fiction secured 5th place following its first-ever 30% discount.

In the peak Concurrent Players rankings, Rainbow Six, with Solid Snake now in the mix, has maintained over 100,000 Concurrent Players for two consecutive weeks following its new season. Marvel Rivals hit 87,857, slipping back to levels seen before its January season update.