# Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown: how to start it, and everything it adds

> Most of Charting the Unknown opens once you finish Crimson Desert’s main story, which 11% of PC players have done, and the sea, ships and housing open once you set up camp at Howling Hill. What each part of the expansion needs, and what it costs.

By Mercer. Published 4 November 2026, updated 6 November 2026.

> **How to start Charting the Unknown: Finish the main story.**
>
> The three new storylines, the castles and the Garden of Trials open after the main story. The sea, your own ship and the new housing open earlier, once your camp is set up at Howling Hill.

Charting the Unknown came out on 29 October 2026 and costs $24.99. It needs the base game, Crimson Desert Enhanced.[^1][^2]

## When each part opens

| What it adds | When you can start it |
| --- | --- |
| Three new storylines, one each for Kliff, Oongka and Damiane | After the main story, from the Journal menu. |
| An ocean storyline | After Howling Hill in the main story. |
| Diving and the underwater world: ruins, chests, creatures and mounts | Any time. Staying under uses breath, so a diving suit helps. |
| Your own ship and the Great Ocean | After a questline that opens once your camp is set up at Howling Hill. Build a ship with a dispatch mission at a port, or buy one at a Fleet Office. |
| Building your own house | After you set up camp at Howling Hill and finish Luke’s Request in the Grounds of the Sunrise faction quest. |
| Romance and marriage | Build trust with Pywel’s people. Friends visit once your camp reaches a certain level. |
| Running businesses, such as a restaurant in Vellua | After liberating the region in its faction quest and setting up your camp. |
| Three castles to claim | After the main story and the related quests: liberate each one, then claim it. |
| Garden of Trials, a boss rush | After the main questline. |

[^1]

## How many players can play it yet

**Where players are in Crimson Desert**

|  | Share of PC players |
| --- | --- |
| Finished chapter 1 | 77% |
| Set up camp at Howling Hill (Opens the sea, ships and housing) | 58% |
| Finished chapter 7 | 29% |
| Finished the main story (Opens most of the expansion) | 11% |

The share of everyone who owns the game on PC who has unlocked the matching achievement, read on 6 November 2026. It counts people who have barely played, so the first bar is never 100%. [^3]

58% of PC players have their camp at Howling Hill, so they can go to sea now. Only 11% have finished the main story that the new storylines need.[^3]

## More on Crimson Desert

See [the mods players endorse most](https://creativecult.digital/research/crimson-desert-mods), [what players say about the game](https://creativecult.digital/games/crimson-desert) and how players weigh it against [Elden Ring](https://creativecult.digital/compare/crimson-desert-vs-elden-ring).

## Sources

[^1]: Pearl Abyss, Charting the Unknown DLC Features Overview, 20 October 2026. https://crimsondesert.pearlabyss.com/en-US/News/Notice/Detail?_boardNo=137
[^2]: Steam: Crimson Desert Enhanced: Charting the Unknown, store page. https://store.steampowered.com/app/5001840/
[^3]: Steam Community: Crimson Desert achievements, with the share of players who have each. https://steamcommunity.com/stats/3321460/achievements/

Page: https://creativecult.digital/research/crimson-desert-charting-the-unknown