Amazon Game Studios has been working on an upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG that will send players into an island filled with opportunities for players to choose from, leading them into different scenarios and stories. New World will be launching into Closed Beta on July 20, 2021, so those that pre-ordered the game will have access to the Closed Beta Test. The central premise for New World is that players will be shipwrecked onto Aeternum with no supplies or allies. Players will be able to choose factions and fight off monstrous creatures and engage in expeditions, as well as game modes that pit a team of 20 players against another team for the control of a specific outpost.
Unfortunately, after a newly released gameplay trailer ahead of its launch into closed beta, Studio Director Rich Lawrence confirmed that XP Boosters would make their way into the game as a method of progressing players that don't have as much time, or at least, that's the explanation that was offered in the Twitter post.
Along with XP boosters, New World will also feature exclusively cosmetic items. The comment from Lawrence specified the game would be introducing a storefront in the Alpha phase to test these items and their value, so it's possible that if the developer saw strong engagement in the storefront in its Alpha phase, that more micro-transactions and XP boosters would be introduced. Regardless, Lawrence assures that these items would not offer an advantage over those that choose not to engage with them.
Additionally, Lawrence emphasizes that the team behind New World is considering a "battle pass" program that would offer store-based items periodically. A battle pass route is said to be tested ahead of its release to ensure "strong value without disrupting gameplay for those not participating." Even if New World does not provide any benefits in terms of XP boosters and other microtransactions, fans don't seem too keen on the possibility of having to pay extra money for content.
People aren't reacting positively to the news either, as one user explicitly mentions that if the intention of the developer is creating a viable method of progression for those that don't have much time to spend, it would be better to make advancing more accessible, rather than forcing players to spend extra money on XP boosters. Not only would this make for a better gameplay experience in New World, but it would also benefit the reputation of the developer as being consumer-friendly.
With many games nowadays, monetization seems to be increasing on all fronts as a way for studios to make additional money. For many fans, micro-transactions wouldn't be so prevalent in gaming, but to see a heavy emphasis on adding micro-transactions before a game is even released is rather a bad look. New World is now set to release in August of this year, although was originally set to release on May 26 before getting delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic slowing development.
New World is scheduled to be released on August 31 for PC.
Source: Twitter