Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown Approved in Saudi Arabia, UAE Release Uncertain

Good news regarding Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown for players in Saudi Arabia, however, the availability of the DLC in the UAE still hangs in the balance. Pearl Abyss, the creator, recently posted on the game's website that the regulatory review has been passed for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and they are preparing to begin the digital distribution.

  The post was dated October 30, 2026, and cleared some of the uncertainty surrounding the distribution of the DLC across the Middle East. Although the Saudi players are a step closer to accessing the new content, there still is no news for UAE players.  The issue has drawn considerable attention to the Crimson Desert community since the base game is playable while the new expansion has individual region restrictions.

Crimson Desert DLC Officially Approved in Saudi Arabia

Pearl Abyss’s first major expansion for Crimson Desert, Charting the Unknown, has been cleared by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Media Regulation (GMEDIA).

The company confirmed that the expansion had gone through regulatory review and was approved as early as Oct 30, but it will be available for sale in the Kingdom on digital platforms for the first time soon. This will come as welcome news to players who were previously blocked from viewing and pre-ordering the expansion’s listings in the country.  However, regulatory approval doesn't mean that players will be able to buy the content straight away. Pearl Abyss says that they are getting ready to roll out the Saudi digital store and will communicate a date and time as soon as they have an idea of when that will be.

Saudi players should keep an eye on the digital stores to see if any updates come through. The clearance demonstrates that restrictions in the past may not always be permanent, and distribution can open back up again in regions once all the necessary procedures are complete.

UAE Players Still Await a Release Announcement

With the Saudi situation being better, things are still up in the air in the United Arab Emirates. After the announcement by Pearl Abyss last September concerning restrictions in Middle Eastern regions, the UAE was among the affected countries. The players started to report that after the announcement the expansion was unavailable on many regional digital stores. This led to many users not knowing whether they could buy the pre-orders for this add on content.

It has been confirmed by Pearl Abyss on November 1st, 2026, that no regulatory approvals or a local release date have been provided for the UAE. As a result, gamers in the UAE shouldn’t think that the clearance given to Saudi Arabia extends to their country. Approvals differ across regions, and one territory's approval does not imply the approval of another. For UAE players, the most critical piece of news will be when Pearl Abyss formally confirms completion of the required processes.  The status of the expansion's release in the country will be unknown until that time.

Why Was Charting the Unknown Restricted in Certain Markets?

It all started with the problem regarding regional availability in September 2026. According to the explanation Pearl Abyss offered after completing an internal review on the content and age-ratings, the content Charting the Unknown was unavailable for certain regions and countries. 

At the time, they also made the announcement regarding pre-orders and explained that all customers who had previously made the purchases in affected regions were going to receive automatic refunds on certain digital platforms. In other digital stores, however, they had to go through a standard refund process.

What the developer didn’t do, at the beginning, was explain what the new restrictions were actually for. This, naturally, sparked quite a bit of conjecture and the majority of gaming threads speculated about new romances in the game or even some new content features and the potential, more rigorous new ratings.

None of that, however, was officially substantiated by Pearl Abyss. In other words, there are no gameplay features for which they have publicly acknowledged the reason behind the new regional restrictions. Therefore, users must separate what is confirmed versus community guesswork.

What Is Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown?

Charting the Unknown expands the world of Crimson Desert with additional adventures, exploration opportunities and character-focused content.

Rather than simply introducing a small collection of missions, the expansion aims to give players more activities and reasons to return to Pywel.

Some of its notable additions include:

Ocean exploration: Discover new locations beyond the familiar landscapes of Pywel.

• Ship-based travel: Explore the open waters using new sailing features.
• Underwater activities: Dive beneath the surface and discover additional areas.
• New character stories: Experience additional adventures involving familiar characters.
• Deeper relationships: Develop stronger connections with selected characters.
• Expanded housing features: Enjoy additional opportunities to interact with the game world.

These additions give the expansion a broader focus on exploration and character interaction. For players who have already spent considerable time exploring the original game, the new content offers another opportunity to experience the world from a different perspective. The combination of ocean travel, underwater exploration and additional storylines also helps distinguish the expansion from a traditional content update.

Will the Saudi Approval Help Other Middle Eastern Markets?

Saudi Arabia's regulatory approval could be encouraging for players in other affected Middle Eastern territories. However, it is too early to conclude that the same outcome will happen automatically across the Gulf region. Each country may require separate submissions, reviews and age-rating decisions before a publisher can distribute additional content.

This is particularly relevant for the UAE and Kuwait, where players have also followed reports about the expansion's regional restrictions. The Saudi development demonstrates that the approval process can move forward after the necessary submission and review.

Nevertheless, Pearl Abyss has not announced a regional clearance covering every affected country. A country-by-country update would help players understand which markets have received approval and which are still awaiting further action. Clear communication would also reduce confusion surrounding pre-orders, refunds and digital storefront availability.

What Platforms Will Offer the Expansion?

Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown supports the game's major digital distribution platforms, including:

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X|S

PC through Steam

PC through the Epic Games Store

Mac App Store

The expansion launched internationally on October 29, 2026, at 22:00 UTC in markets where it is available. However, platform compatibility and regional availability are two different things. A player may own a supported console or PC and still be unable to purchase the expansion because of restrictions affecting their digital storefront or country. Saudi players should monitor their preferred storefronts as Pearl Abyss completes preparations for local distribution. UAE players should continue checking official announcements rather than relying on unofficial release dates.

What Should UAE and Saudi Players Do Next?

The most critical step for Saudi players is to check digital storefronts for the purchasing announcement.

Though Pearl Abyss has received the GMEDIA approval, they have not set a specific date for local release. The best thing players in the UAE can do is check the developer's website and regional platform listings periodically. Customers who had their pre-orders cancelled should check the status of their payments and refunds. Pearl Abyss said that either automatic refunds could be given, or a request for a refund could be made via the platform.

It is best to stay away from unauthorized dealers selling guaranteed regional access, as those purchases may cause account security issues or cause the game to not be compatible. It is always better to wait for the official confirmation of the game’s local release.

Final Thoughts: Saudi Arabia Moves Forward While the UAE Waits

Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown finally getting the go-ahead in Saudi Arabia is good news for gaming in the Middle East. Following weeks of limbo, Pearl Abyss finally said the expansion was approved to be sold in Saudi Arabia. Distribution has started, though they haven’t set an exact launch date for the region. Things are still up in the air for players in the UAE. No equivalent announcement means players there have to continue waiting for Pearl Abyss to say what’s going on, along with everyone else in that position.

Saudi Arabia approving it means the region as a whole could be a possibility, though that’s no guarantee for other countries in the region, either. The most important question right now is how long Pearl Abyss will wait to give everyone another update for the Middle East region. Players all around will be waiting for news on this, and hopefully the world of Crimson Desert will be available for all who wish to travel through it again.