New World

New World was released by Amazon Games in 2021 after several years of development, during which the game underwent significant changes in concept - from an originally planned survival MMO with a high degree of involuntary PvP, it ultimately became a more classic MMORPG with quests, factions, and an extensive crafting system, set on the fictional island of Aeternum, inspired by the colonial era and elements of a supernatural threat. Combat takes place in real time with an emphasis on aiming, dodging, and timing attacks according to the type of weapon used, which set it apart from more traditional MMOs with a targeting and per-ability cooldown system.

The game places strong emphasis on crafting and resource gathering - mining, woodworking, blacksmithing, and other crafts form the core of an economy that players build in their own settlements scattered across the island, with the quality of tools and equipment significantly affecting the efficiency of both gathering and combat. Players can also join one of three warring factions and fight for control of territory in large group wars over individual settlements, which also affects local taxes and available bonuses. The launch was accompanied by extensive technical problems, overloaded servers, and the need for rapid fixes, but the game still quickly gained a large number of players thanks to a solid combat system and the attractive visual rendering of the island's landscape.

New World is notable as one of the few large MMO titles released by a major technology company outside traditional gaming studios, and as an example of a game that managed to partially stabilize after an initial sharp drop in interest thanks to later expansions, new regions, and adjustments to game systems, including the addition of expansive story chapters with their own new areas. It also showed how difficult it is nowadays to launch an entirely new MMO onto a market long saturated by established competitors with a many-years head start in content.

Why play it: For anyone curious how one of the few large MMO titles from a technology giant outside traditional gaming studios is faring - after a weaker start, it partially stabilized thanks to expansions and new regions.