New World: The Pros and Cons of Not Having Mounts

Nearly every MMORPG has its own take on popular features within the genre. Some of these titles have classes, meanwhile others have universal skill trees. One fan-favorite aspect of the genre is amassing many unique rideable mounts, as they serve not only as a faster mode of transportation, but also allow the owner to show off to friends and strangers alike. It has been confirmed that the Amazon Games MMORPG New World will not have rideable mounts, which is one example of New World making bold decisions that set itself apart from its direct competitors.

There are many arguments that can be applied both for and against having mounts in New World. Some players may be pushed away from trying out the game because of this decision. However, the same can be said for players not wanting to try out World of Warcraft because it has a subscription as opposed to New World's one-time purchase. Any number of major design decisions could cause players to be interested where they were not before, or cause them to lose interest. It is up to the player to determine which decisions they like and which they do not. The lack of rideable mounts in New World is an example of such a polarizing choice.

Pros for No Mounts in New World

A key selling point for New World is the fantasy of being among the first settlers in the titular new world of Aeternum. Here, players must explore and chart Aeternum's unforgiving fourteen territories. Furthermore, the plot of New World begins with players shipwrecked on the island. As a result, any animals aboard the ship that would serve as mounts likely did not make it. Therefore, from a lore perspective, it makes sense that there would be no mounts on Aeternum because its animals are not domesticated. Not having mounts allows players to get truly invested in the deeper worldbuilding of Aeternum; this place is not home and should not feel like it.

Unlike other games in the genre that may see the player start out in a well-defined city, New World throws the player right into the action. The title is aiming to be an immersive action-focused MMORPG, which is further explored in its lack of traditional lock-on aiming. PvP alongside PvE is a huge portion of the gameplay experience, and giving players an option to run away from the threat of conflict with mounts does not seem to fit in New World's vision of Aeternum.

Cons for No Mounts in New World

For many players, there is a point where realism and immersion cross into tedium. While this decision with mounts certainly seems to help sell the plot of New World, after fully exploring Aeternum it might become boring to just run everywhere. In MMORPGs, mounts have always been the middle ground between going on foot and fast-traveling. If players fast travel everywhere, they might miss certain world events and mobs to level up their characters. Mounts allow players to move at a respectable speed while having the option to engage in events or fights.

The largest downside of New World not having mounts is that it takes away options from the player when it really doesn't need to. Those in the fanbase that love feeling immersed and shipwrecked would still be able to feel that way by not engaging with mounts at all. However, those that want the convenience associated with mounts because they only have an hour to play and don't want to spend it all running are now forced to play a certain way. Aside from more possible technical issues for New World, there's no reason for the option to not exist.

Whether New World changes its tune about mounts after the official launch or sticks to its guns remains to be seen. However, with the confirmation that New World will have an in-game store for cosmetics and some small time-savers, it seems like a reasonable assumption that mounts could join that store eventually. New World's story and lore can easily be changed, and the story writers can come up with any number of plot-based scenarios that would explain the new presence of mounts. However, some MMORPG fans may love the lack of mounts, as it does force the player to know their way around the world of Aeternum.