New World is on the brink of an exciting fall, with the team’s ambitious plans falling into place. From the impending release of their upcoming expansion, “Rise of the Angry Earth,” next month, to the complete overhaul of the leveling process set to wrap up by year’s end, New World is steadily advancing towards its future.
Today marks the second anniversary of the game’s launch on Steam, back in September 2021, following multiple delays and significant changes. Initially, New World leaned towards a survival crafting PvP game, but it has since transformed into the open-world MMO we know today, blending both PvE and PvP elements.
The Journey of Storytelling
The path leading to New World’s two-year anniversary has been far from straightforward for Amazon Game Studios. When the MMO was postponed from its original August 2020 release date, the primary reason was to expand its content and pivot its focus from the survival crafting roots to a more conventional MMO. Yet, even upon the MMO’s launch on September 28, 2021, there were players who found the game lacking, with one of the major complaints being the absence of engaging storytelling. The forgettable storyline, compounded by a repetitive and monotonous grind, made New World a difficult recommendation for those seeking a narrative-rich MMO.
Despite the initial shortcomings, New World’s team buckled down, listened to player feedback, and embarked on a journey of improvement. They began by prioritizing storytelling and subsequently reworked the 1-25 level grind, completely revamping the new player experience and altering the early zone of Monarch’s Bluff, including its storyline. Their efforts continued with content updates such as “Heart of Madness,” “Brimstone Sands,” and seasonal stories that significantly expanded the game’s narrative compared to its original launch.
The commitment to storytelling has enhanced the development team’s skills, and players are poised to benefit from their dedication. New content, including the upcoming “Rise of the Angry Earth” expansion, reflects this progress, promising significant advancements.
Addressing Negative Narratives
Over the course of two years, New World faced various challenges and criticisms, including gold dupe exploits and patch delays. However, one narrative that persisted throughout was the issue of player count. Having a healthy player base is vital for an MMO, particularly one without NPC vendors where the in-game economy depends on active players. New World garnered early attention for its large player counts and long queue times at launch, with an all-time peak of 913K players online concurrently according to SteamDB.
As player counts gradually declined, criticism mounted, and some labeled New World as a “dead game” within just a month of launch. However, such narratives are not unique to New World, as player counts naturally taper off after a game’s launch. The development team focused on improving the game’s quality and addressing player feedback to rectify the situation.
Connecting with the Fanbase
A turning point in New World’s development occurred when the team improved its communication with the player community. They transitioned from relying solely on blog posts to direct communication through development videos, such as the “Forged In Aeternum” series and dev roundtables. They also addressed early critiques about the team not playing their own game by live-streaming themselves playing the MMO.
Active participation on forums and later on Discord facilitated rapid feedback, updates, and insights from senior developers and QA members. This direct dialogue with players significantly shaped the game’s roadmap and reinforced the community’s sense that their voices were heard.
The developers’ own experiences in the game allowed them to understand and address player feedback effectively. The two-way dialogue with the player base proved critical in shaping New World’s development.
Memorable Moments and Future Prospects
In New World’s two-year history, several noteworthy developments occurred. The game saw high moments, including the closure of the Isabella storyline with the “Tempest” update and initiatives to reduce friction and improve storytelling. The introduction of the “Brimstone Sands” zone, inspired by Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire, marked a significant step forward in storytelling. Community-driven initiatives, such as chest runs, have also influenced the game’s development.
New World’s active player base and ongoing developments, including the “Rise of the Angry Earth” expansion, continue to demonstrate the game’s health and vitality. The expansion promises to enhance storytelling, introduce mounts, more New World Gold Coins rewards, and feature the new Flail weapon. As the game looks ahead, the development team remains committed to growth and improvement, with no intentions of slowing down.
