Amazon’s first major video game is a massive online roleplaying game about colonization

Read next

• Amazon has offered an early look at its upcoming video game “New World,” one of three PC games the company announced in 2016.
• “New World” is a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game, in the style of “EVE Online” and “World of Warcraft.”
• Players will slowly work together to colonize an uncharted island, clearing out dangerous beasts and monsters, and gradually building homes and cities.

Amazon Games Studios is working on a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game called “New World,” the largest project yet from the online retailer’s largely unknown game development team.

Amazon Games Studios was established in 2012, but so far its releases have largely been limited to smartphones and Amazon devices. “New World” was one of three PC games announced by Amazon Game Studios in 2016, along with “Crucible,” a “Fortnite”-style battle royale game, and “Breakaway,” an online battle arena game that has since been cancelled.

Here’s everything we know about “New World,” Amazon’s first major video game:

Players will create their own characters and work together to colonize the island of “New World.”

Like “EVE Online and “World of Warcraft,” “New World” is an MMORPG, a genre of game that lets thousands or even millions of gamers experience a shared world and play alongside one another. The game takes place during the colonial era of the 17th Century, and players set out to colonize an uncharted island. After making their character, players can team up to form factions, and ultimately build their own towns and cities, creating a second home in “New World.”

Clearing out beasts and monsters will be the first step to starting a colony.

Amazon invited a group of video game journalists for a guided walkthrough of “New World,” with about 20 players, and offered an explanation of how the game would work on a larger scale. As it stands “New World” has no overarching story or preset missions, the game will rely on player interactions to keep the fun moving. Players can interact with the world in a variety of ways – constructing new buildings, farming resources, and clearing out enemies will be essential to establishing a colony.

Players can wage war in “New World,” but factions will have 24 hours in real life to prepare.

Players can fight each other too, but Amazon reportedly wants to prevent players from doing too much damage to an enemy faction. Before factions can fight in “New World,” they’ll need to declare war, giving the members of the opposing faction 24 hours in real life to prepare for a battle. That way both sides can organize their squads for a proper melee, and handle their resources without fear of a surprise attack.

There will be plenty of ways to play “New World.”

While the style of game isn’t new, there are few studios with the means to support an ongoing MMO. The most successful MMORPG, like “World of Warcraft” offer character storylines or regional quests to help players engage with their massive world. In its current state, “New World” will depend on its players to build a satisfying experience together, instead of providing a script. The game will essentially be a sand box for thousands of players.

Amazon has not said whether “New World” will be free-to-play, and there is no anticipated release date. The studio told visiting journalists that the game will be entering beta tests on PC “soon.” Until then you can join the “New World” mailing list to get updates on the game.