Crimson Desert Surpasses $203 Million on Steam, Becomes 2026’s Biggest New IP

Crimson Desert has generated an estimated $203.3 million in gross revenue on Steam so far in 2026, making it the most successful new IP among the platform’s top-performing releases this year. The figure comes from market analysis firm Alinea Analytics in a September 3 report examining Steam’s performance during the first eight months of 2026.

The result is particularly notable because Crimson Desert is competing against major established franchises. Alinea estimates that only Forza Horizon 6, at $210.5 million, has generated more Steam revenue among the highlighted 2026 releases, while Resident Evil Requiem follows at $200.9 million. The figures are estimates rather than official sales numbers from the respective publishers.

Crimson Desert Accounts For A Major Share Of New IP Revenue

According to Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics, Crimson Desert represents roughly 18% of the revenue generated by new IPs in the top 100 new 2026 games on Steam.

The wider Steam market has also experienced substantial growth. Steam has generated approximately $15 billion in gross revenue during the first eight months of 2026, around 15% higher than the same period in 2025. Elliott expects Steam to finish the year above $20 billion in gross revenue for the first time.

The success of Crimson Desert is even more significant given its status as a completely new franchise. Pearl Abyss officially launched the open-world action-adventure game on March 19, 2026, releasing it simultaneously on Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Mac and other PC platforms.

The game follows Kliff and the Greymanes across the fantasy world of Pywel, combining open-world exploration with large-scale action combat. Pearl Abyss has also confirmed that Crimson Desert surpassed 5 million copies sold worldwide in May, providing another indication of the game’s strong commercial performance.

With more than $203 million in estimated Steam gross revenue, Crimson Desert has therefore established itself as one of 2026’s biggest new releases while standing out as the year’s leading new IP.