New World Preview

Amazon Games’ upcoming conquistador-themed sandbox MMORPG New World should be launching in May 2020, but as of right now, we don’t know a lot about this project. Until recently, the game was positioned as a survival game of sorts instead of a proper MMORPG that it is said to be now. With that in mind, you may be interested in checking out this PC Gamer article that tries to predict what we can expect from New World based on its early demo and all the currently available information. An excerpt:

In that respect, though, I see potential. The basics of New World were easy for me to pick up in one session, suggesting that there isn't an encyclopedia of arcana to study before getting into what I want to do: whacking things with swords, crafting new stuff, and seeking out meaningful interactions with other players (and hopefully some funny ones, as the game needs some levity). On a more basic level, I didn't have to battle the jankiness associated with online survival games to get things done. That's a plus.

We've of course heard New World's promises before: You can become a famous blacksmith, or battle monsters alone, or raise an army to siege other player's settlements, but whatever you're doing will change the world. Meanwhile, though, the most popular MMOs today still rely primarily on built-in storytelling, raids, and other World of Warcraft standards. A notable exception, EVE Online, requires so much commitment that many find reading about it preferable to playing it. And despite all the newcomers, Old Man Runescape has stuck around, illustrating how tough it is to break into the sandbox MMO space.