Amazon's New World MMO has become the latest viral success of 2021, climbing in player numbers day by day since its launch on September 28. As popular as the fantasy MMO has become, however, that doesn't mean it doesn't have some kinks for Amazon work out. These include large problems, like growing server queues and the forthcoming launch of server transfers, as well as small issues. The latest example in New World is an annoying problem tied to the MMO's auto-running functionality.
Auto-running should be a deeply familiar concept to MMO players. Sometimes a quest or task requires the player to run a significant distance. Rather than hold a button down the entire way, auto-running lets the player watch Netflix or a Twitch stream on a second monitor while distractedly keeping their character pointed in the right direction. There's one thing that auto-running in New World doesn't allow, however; it doesn't let players look through their inventory or gear while auto-running at the same time.
RELATED: New World Implements New Feature To Help Indicate Full Servers
If a New World player tries to open their inventory while auto-running, two things happen. Obviously, their inventory opens, but they also stop auto-running. That's because opening the inventory forces the player character to turn towards the player so they can look at what they have equipped. While this is useful, it's clearly not what those who are auto-running would like their character to do.
New World players are, subsequently, asking Amazon to make a change to the system so that they can look through their inventory while auto-running. With New World being such a crafting-heavy experience, and with weapon-swapping encouraged between encounters, perusing the inventory while between tasks is a common and productive action. Considering New World has been through multiple betas across several years, it's odd that the issue hasn't come up yet.
There may be some purpose behind Amazon's decision to stop players when they open their inventory. Some believe it's so players can't swap their equipment easily while in the midst of New World's open-world PvP. Others believe it's a legacy issue from when New World showed an animation of characters looking through their bags when the inventory was opened.
Regardless of the reason for the way auto-running is canceled when opening the inventory, New World players are hoping that Amazon can reconsider the way it's currently implemented. There should be some compromise that allows players to browse their inventory while running, even if it means they aren't able to swap their gear mid-PvP. Amazon has yet to acknowledge the issue, but it's a possible topic to consider further out from launch.
New World is available now on PC.