New World’s Factions system: which one to join?

Following a successful technical alpha, closed and open beta over the last couple of months coupled with a game delay, MMORPG fans will finally explore the supernatural island of Aeternum. The addition of New World adds to the incredible lineup of widely successful MMORPGs including Path of Exile, The Elder Scrolls Online and World of Warcraft, all boasting robust faction systems.

New World will also include one and a crucial early decision players will make is deciding on which one to join. There are ramifications for your playthrough and changing factions isn't easy (more on that below) so working out what one you want to go with is best done before you find yourself in the world.

That is where this guide comes in, we break down each faction, explaining a bit about each of them and giving you the information to make an informed choice.

New World: Factions system explained

New World’s Faction system has a significant impact on your gameplay: the faction you select determines which companies (guilds) players will join.

There are three Factions to choose from: Syndicate, Covenant and Marauders as players can join either of these factions once they have reached Level 10 and completed related quests. Each Faction is visually identified by colour palettes and has well-documented backgrounds and rich histories for players to enjoy.

• Syndicate: players who join the Syndicate faction belong to a secret organisation that is in constant pursuit of knowledge and intellect. They wish to use this knowledge to bring about a new era to Aethernum.

• Covenant: Regarded as quite zealous in their command, the Covenant factions aim to rid the Aethernum of heretics and defilers for justice to be preserved and for nature to be prosperous.

• Marauders: the military unit of the island, the Marauders are determined to establish Aethernum as a free nation for all its citizens to accumulate wealth and riches.

New World: Differences between the factions

Ultimately, whichever faction players choose to join, their selection is one players should be careful about. If players wish to change factions, they have a period of 120 days before rejoining another faction.

There aren’t as many differences between these factions other than their faction’s uniforms, associated companies for each faction, colour palettes and quests. While this may not be convincing enough, it should be known that your choice won’t be easy.

New World: Which faction to choose

This decision shouldn’t be taken lightly as players will eventually come to understand. We won’t corner players into siding with one over another, but merely join a faction based on your personal preference.

By studying each faction’s histories and backgrounds can help players make an informed decision on which faction to join. Furthermore, if players have friends in a particular faction or are playing with a group belonging to one of these factions, it is recommended to join the same faction unless you wish to engage against them in combat.

• Read more: New World Steam preload: when can you pre-download New World?

Don’t forget to check out our dedicated New World section where you will find lots of guides, news, updates and more.

Featured image courtesy of Amazon Games.