New World has been encountering incredible levels of popularity since its successful launch, and while some players have complained about the game's limitations, others are finding ways to exploit them--or at least make running into them entertaining. One indecisive player recently pushed themselves to level 60, the current level cap of New World, without ever joining a faction. This appears to have had some pretty significant impacts on their playthrough.
Redditor TheBrotado shared a screenshot of their bio, showcasing the name of their character, their title as an Exalted Elder, and their grayed-out bio. That bio demands that TheBrotado didn't join one of New World's three factions in order to continue their story, indicating that they are, indeed, factionless.
Several other fans immediately expressed confusion at TheBrotado's decision, but others stated that they understood. One user commented that New World's factions can be compared to the Fallout series' Brotherhood of Steel research division, combat division, and religious division, which might explain why some players are uncomfortable with militarism, religious fervor, or seeking forbidden knowledge might be inclined to go it alone. However, TheBrotado did observe that their decision to not engage with the game's factions has kept them from acquiring an Azoth Staff, which are only available through main story quests they can't unlock.
TheBrotado joked that their indecisiveness stemmed from an inability to pick between green, yellow, and purple, stating that they were waiting for a blue-themed faction to come out. Another user added that they'd hoped neutrality was a valid option with its own storyline, only to be disappointed--staying neutral actually blocks off access to later quests as well as New World's PvP system. A third user expressed a desire to see neutral players gain the ability to become mercenaries and temporarily work with any of the factions, which could allow them to engage in PvP and advance the main story quests.
As of writing, it appears that many other New World fans are sympathetic to neutral players and are thinking of ways for them to participate in the parts of the game they are currently missing out on. One possibility is for New World to have guilds decide on factions rather than leave it up to individual players. This could allow entire guilds to jump ship from factions at once if they dislike how things are being run. It could also allow for more dynamic, player-driven factions.
New World is out now for PC.