Upcoming MMORPG New World is maintaining its focus on PvP combat, perhaps to the detriment of its PvE side. The massively multiplayer game is being developed by Amazon Game Studios, which is also working on a new Lord of the Rings MMORPG in a partnership with the developer of Warframe.

While it looks like PvP is still the backbone of New World, player versus player combat in the game initially looked a lot different from its current incarnation. In a developer diary released in January, Amazon Game Studios said that its original PvP system, which allowed players to attack each other at any time, was leading to a lot of griefing and other toxic behavior. To fight that, Amazon Game Studios made PvP an opt-in mechanic and lessened the consequences of dying to other players. The decision to scale back PvP got a lot of heat from angry fans who were looking forward to a more cutthroat environment.

Despite the changes, PvP is still the focal point of New World, according to IGN. After a hands-on session, the site reported that New World’s PvP War system seems like the entire game was built around it. In New World, player-run Companies will control territories on the world’s map, which gives them the ability to build keeps and even collect taxes from players in the territory. Players from another Company can stage attacks on their bases to try to take control for themselves. Wars can only happen at certain times with Companies signing up limited numbers of players beforehand, which trades spontaneity for more organized, fair battles.


IGN’s preview also praised New World’s combat system. Amazon Game Studios says that Dark Souls was an inspiration on New World’s combat. That’s led to more nuanced fights than in traditional MMOs, where players need to be more aware of positioning and timing rather than spamming attacks from a hotbar. Also like Dark Souls, New World seems to keep its storytelling subtle, hiding lore in items found out in the world. It’s the exact opposite approach of the incredibly popular MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV, which puts its story first.

Amazon Game Studios seems to be aiming for a fully unique MMO experience in New World rather than trying to copy what other games have gotten right. There’s still a lot that hasn’t been revealed about the game, but if nothing else, it should offer something for players who’d rather take part in a large scale fantasy battle than delve into dungeons looking for treasure.