New World has been one of the most anticipated MMO games of recent times, and the game's developers have now released their roadmap for 2023. As per the roadmap, the game is set to receive a slew of new features, improvements, and content updates, making it an even more engaging and immersive experience for players.

Now, with the 2023 roadmap, the developers have promised to bring in more exciting features and content to the game. Let's take a closer look at some of the highlights of the roadmap:

New World Roadmap for Spring 2023 - Season 1: Fellowship and Fire

New World - Season 1: Fellowship & Fire
New World - Season 1: Fellowship & Fire

And before we will dive into the specific parts of Season 1 let's answer the most important question - when season 1 will reach live server of New World? Currently, it's planned to happen on 28th of March and we're very excited about all those changes. So let's dive in without spending any additional time!

♻️ Seasons System

In my humble opinion, this is probably one of the biggest updates in New World since its release in 2021 and there are many reasons for it. But to name one: this (coupled with battle pass) completely changes the business model of the game. But there's more reason why it's important, so I made a list of 7 key reasons why announce of the seasons system keeps me excited about New World future for the entire March

  1. Regular content updates: With a seasonal approach, players can look forward to a consistent schedule of fresh content, keeping the game engaging and providing new challenges to tackle.
  2. Structured progression: A seasons system often brings a sense of progression, with players working towards specific goals or rewards within a defined time frame, creating a sense of accomplishment.
  3. Themed content: Each season can bring unique themes, stories, or gameplay mechanics, offering diverse experiences and keeping the game world dynamic and evolving.
  4. Battle passes: The introduction of battle passes in a season system can provide additional incentives and rewards for players, further motivating them to engage with the game during each season.
  5. Improved player retention: By offering regular content updates and a clear progression path, a season's system can help maintain and grow the player base, as players are more likely to return and continue playing.
  6. Balancing and meta shifts: The seasonal approach allows the developers to introduce balance changes, new weapons, or adjustments to game mechanics at regular intervals, keeping the meta fresh and preventing stagnation.
  7. Community engagement: A season system can foster a sense of community as players come together to participate in seasonal events, share strategies, and discuss new content.

Overall, the "Seasons System" in the New World update is expected to bring a more structured and engaging experience for players, offering consistent content updates, fresh challenges, and opportunities for growth and progression within the game.

Gear Set Storage

This QoL change could be described in one term: better organization. Gear Set Storage allows players to neatly organize their gear sets, making it easier to manage multiple sets for different activities such as PvP, PvE (and different expeditions/stages of dungeons where types of mobs change), gathering, or crafting. In addition, it will help reduce clutter in a player's inventory, making it more manageable and user-friendly. This feature can be particularly beneficial for players who have limited inventory space or a large collection of gear.

New World Gear Set Storage system
New World Gear Set Storage system

The only issue we can mention here is the number of sets you can have for free. Currently, the number of free sets is 2 + 1 additional slot you can get from the season pass, which means those who don't want to spend money on New World will not be able to manage more than 3 sets during Season 1. While this limitation will inevitably create negative sentiment among some players, especially those who prefer to stick with buy once play always. But please, keep in mind that this change is very important because just maintaining MMO servers is an expensive thing and if our community has high expectations regarding content delivered by the AGS team then we also should answer questions about where AGS will get money to invest into new content. To date, the only 2 sources of income for New World were selling skins in the game shop and selling the game itself. While sad for those who want to play for free after purchasing game, we really hope that AGS will introduce more 

⛰️New Expedition

Expeditions are one of the most popular features of New World, and the developers have promised to add new ones to the game. This Spring Empyrean Forge will be released and it's already available on the PTR. Entrance into the expedition is available in Great Cleave and surrounded by enemies of a new type for the expedition - Humans. You surely encountered Varangian forces in Aeternum before and now, since they got high-level representatives, their forces could be considered as fully written into the world of Aeternu.

So far expedition received a lot of positive feedback with everyone highlighting how good and unexpectedly entertaining is music theme in the Empyrean Forge.

Empyrean Forge entrance in Great Cleave
Empyrean Forge entrance in Great Cleave

New Heartrune

We are very excited about coming to Heartrune, but this place in the article will be kept empty till New Heartrune hits live servers. PTR is meant to test new things and adjust balance exactly for things like this so I believe it's too early to judge how powerful is new heartrune when compared to existing ones

☀️ ❄️ Seasonal and World Events 

These events promise to bring fresh content and unique challenges tailored to specific themes or times of the year, offering new experiences for players to enjoy. Seasonal events can encourage a sense of community and camaraderie among players, as they come together to participate in special quests, earn exclusive rewards, and celebrate in-game festivities. We can expect something similar to events with Cracus and Winter Warden which proved to be funny and engaging for players.

This unpredictability can keep the gameplay experience engaging and encourage players to explore different areas of the game world. The rewards offered during these events, such as exclusive cosmetics, items, or titles, can serve as an incentive for players to participate and showcase their accomplishments. The event system got the potential to attract both new and returning players, as it is expected to provide fresh content and excitement at regular intervals. This can help maintain a healthy player population and ensure that the game continues to thrive. Overall, Seasonal & World Events in the New World update are poised to add variety, excitement, and a sense of community to the game.

🗺 Main Story Quest Update

Amazon Game Studios (AGS) aims to update the Main Story Quest (MSQ) of New World to enhance player experience in several ways. By improving the game's narrative, AGS can offer a more engaging and immersive experience. They also want to ensure better pacing, progression, and smoother integration of new content, while addressing player feedback and laying the groundwork for future updates and expansions. Overall, updating the MSQ helps attract new and returning players while continually refining the game experience.

🔵🔴 Colored Outlines for enemy AoEs in PvP 

One word: FINALLY! This change already works on PTR and we have been waiting for it since the first version of the game. Finally, we will be able to distinguish friendly and enemies skills 🎉

Balance Updates

The number of coming changes is so big that we will need a dedicated article to list all of them. Please, check the website in a few hours for the dedicated article about balance updates

Season Pass

Games often add Season Passes as a way to provide players with a structured and time-limited progression system, offering exclusive rewards and incentives to keep players engaged. Season Passes generate revenue for the developers, while also encouraging long-term player investment. AGS, the developer of New World, wants to introduce a Season Pass in the game's Season 1 update for similar reasons.

Activities in the new battle pass in New World. Those activities are randomized for every player and you can reroll them by spending Azoth
Activities in the new battle pass in New World. Those activities are randomized for every player and you can reroll them by spending Azoth

By adding a Season Pass, AGS aims to create a more dynamic and rewarding experience, while promoting a regular influx of new content. This approach can help maintain player interest and retention, and ultimately, ensure the long-term success of the game. Furthermore, the revenue generated from Season Passes can be reinvested into the game, resulting in ongoing improvements and additions to New World.

Screenshots of first rewards in Season Pass (screenshot from PTR, subject to change)
Screenshots of first rewards in Season Pass (screenshot from PTR, subject to change)

TL;DR

Overall, the 2023 roadmap for New World looks promising, and it seems like the developers are committed to making the game even more engaging and immersive for players. With new content, improved mechanics, and exciting features, it's clear that New World is set to remain a popular MMO game for years to come.

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This page will be updated with links to articles about other seasons and roadmaps of new content coming to New World in the Summer, Autumn, and Winter of 2023