The internet has been abuzz about the forthcoming open-world RPG Crimson Desert since an incredible gameplay trailer dropped this week at Gamescom Opening Night Live.

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Originally conceived as an online MMO to follow up developer Pearl Abyss’s Black Desert Online, the developers discovered a better single-player game somewhere in there and delayed the title indefinitely in order to switch game types. That was back in 2021.

Now, Pearl Abyss has revealed a more focused actioner that takes place in the same universe as Black Desert, except it looks like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Elden Ring, and Ghosts of Tsushima thrown in a blender. In the best way, that is. You can also hug sheep:

Remember, you can’t accuse Crimson Desert of ripping off Tears of the Kingdom‘s sky islands, since it’s been in development practically as long as Nintendo’s recent game-changer. ’90s kids may remember the year when both Armageddon and Deep Impact hit movie theaters — this is like that, only good.

Indeed, pretty much every mechanic shown in the trailer looks terrifically exciting; but, as with any open-world game, we’re reserving judgment until early reviews make clear whether all the beautiful vistas are worth combing for the sake of exploration — or just for the sake of busy work.

When will Crimson Desert be released?

Earlier this year, Pearl Abyss CEO Jin-Young Heo said the company was targeting a fall 2023 release for Crimson Desert, per Game Informer. However, if you watched the new gameplay trailer above, you might have noticed that no release date accompanied the footage.

Unfortunately, that likely means the development team has enough finishing touches to put on the game that they aren’t comfortable promising 2023 just yet. The game may still release this year, but the first or second quarter of 2024 is just as likely.

Regardless, the wait won’t be that much longer compared to the five-year interlude that gamers have already suffered since the MMO version of Crimson Desert was announced pre-pandemic. Plus, 2024 might be a bit less crowded with Game of the Year contenders, giving Crimson Desert an easier path to the crown if it delivers as much as it promises.