The new expansion for New World has come with some new features and content, including a Season Pass, which has led to some players raising the concern that it may be a form of pay-to-win. While it is true that the Premium Track of the Season Pass contains rewards such as XP boosts and randomized gear, the developers have stated that all non-cosmetic rewards can also be earned through the Free Track and normal gameplay. This means that players will not be able to get an advantage over other players by simply spending money.

• Free Track rewards
• Premium Track rewards
• Season Pass

Free Track rewards

The Free Track rewards players with XP boosts, as well as a variety of other rewards such as cosmetic items, football gatherings, crafting, and loot. Players can also receive bonuses from the new story, called the Silver Crows, and can use the new Firestorm gear set storage.

Premium Track rewards

The Premium Track rewards players with more XP boosts, as well as randomized gear and seasonal loot. In order to access the Premium Track, players must reach level 25 and have 20,000 Marks of Fortune. The developers have also mentioned that players may have better RNG with the Premium Track, and that additional slots can be earned through the Season Pass or purchased with the Marks of Fortune.

Season Pass

The Season Pass is designed to be a way for players to gain additional rewards, without creating a pay-to-win system. Players can access the Free Track and normal gameplay to receive the same rewards as the Premium Track, while the Premium Track offers additional bonuses that can be earned through playing the game.

Boost tokens are also available to be earned in-game, through the free and premium tracks of the season pass, or for purchase through the in-game store. These tokens provide temporary quality-of-life conveniences to help players catch up quickly in weapon mastery, trade skills, and season progression. The one thing that is not talked about is level XP, as it does not appear to be included in the rewards.

The most concerning aspect of the season pass is the yield boost tokens, which can be bought with real money and provide a higher percentage increase than the powerful proficiency booster that can be crafted in-game. This effectively allows players to buy New World Coins, which has raised questions of whether this crosses the line into pay-to-win.

Overall, the season pass has raised a lot of questions among players, and while it is still unclear whether it is pay-to-win or not, it is clear that it is leaning in that direction. In addition, the PTR is also live and has made a few changes to balance out weapons, as well as increase the capacity of taunt gems. It will be interesting to see how the season pass and PTR changes affect the game, and how the players react to these changes.