The New World in-game store will open its virtual doors with something missing: the team behind the game has announced that it won't sell any in-game boosts until "2022 at the earliest."
New World is an upcoming MMORPG from Amazon Game Studios that's had a troubled development to say the least. It's already been delayed multiple times — most recently, to August 2021 — and the developers have come under fire for how New World microtransactions will work. Now, a news post has arrived that explains how the cash shop will work in the game, along with one important little detail: you won't be able to buy any boosts for several months after launch.
How Will the New World In-Game Store Work?
The New World in-game store has already been released for players in the Alpha in order for the devs to get feedback, although it also comes with a somewhat surprising announcement: there won't be any in-game boosts for several months after launch.
"At launch, we’ll offer themed cosmetic items across a variety of categories, visually on par with our endgame gear," read the news post on the game's official website.
"We won't consider selling anything other than cosmetic items until 2022 at the earliest."
As for the cosmetics featured in the store, they will be made up of the following:
- Themed Apparel & Weapon Skins: Themed skins that can be applied to existing apparel or weapons to change their visual style.
- Housing Décor & House Pets: Decorative home furnishings and fun pets for your home.
- Emotes: New ways for you to express yourself through dance, gestures, and other unique animations.
- Dye packs: While many vibrant pigments are available to harvest to create dyes, additional colors will be available in the store.
- Company Crests: New designs will be available in the store to personalize your Company’s insignia.
All of these items are intended to supplement what players can find in the game world rather than serve as a superior choice, a philosophy that was perfectly summarized in the news post.
"Our goal is not to make the cosmetics offered in-store better but different than existing gear."
Now, let's get down to brass tacks: will the New World in-game store have any "pay-to-win" items? The devs are totally against making it possible for players to get more powerful by spending money. That said, they also want to consider newer players joining the game after its launch — that's why they're considering ideas for items that might influence the rested XP bonus to help new players catch up with the veterans. There is, however, the challenge of allowing for conveniences like this without creating a power imbalance; it looks like the devs are going to be treading very carefully going forward.
The New World in-game store looks like it might be one of the fairer MMORPG shops at launch if it follows the plan laid out in today's news post. You can pre-purchase New World: Aeturnum Awaits on Steam starting at $39.99 or your regional equivalent; you'll be able to play it starting on August 31, 2021.
What do you think of the plan for the New World in-game store? Do you think the devs can sell boosts without compromising the integrity of the game? Let us know in the comments below!
