Crimson Desert "could" challenge GTA 6 for Game of the Year, claims Grand Theft Auto 5 dev – but only if Rockstar "drop the ball"

GTA 6 Lucia.

Now that Crimson Desert reviews have gone public and players are hours away from getting their own hands on it, folks can't help but share their thoughts on the new Pearl Abyss RPG – including one former Rockstar Games developer.

Mike York, whose animation credits include titles like Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, believes Crimson Desert is good enough to stand as Game of the Year in 2026 – but only if it manages to snag the spot from Grand Theft Auto 6 somehow, that is.

Speaking in a new video on YouTube covering Crimson Desert, he admits, "This could become Game of the Year. And the reason for that is because of how much you can get lost in this game."