The recent launch of the Fight Championship and Underground Circuit events in Neverness to Everness (NTE) has sparked a heated debate within the community. While some players enjoy the competitive aspect, a significant portion of the player base is voicing strong dissatisfaction with the game’s increasing focus on forced PvP (Player vs. Player) multiplayer modes.
The Core of the Complaint: Forced PvP for Rewards
The primary source of frustration stems from the fact that crucial progression materials—specifically Annulith—are locked behind participation in these PvP events. Many players who were drawn to NTE for its single-player, story-driven open-world experience feel alienated by this design choice.
As one highly upvoted post on the official NTE subreddit highlighted:
“Why on Earth do I have to play PVP modes when I just want to chill in my game away from other ppl? I know there’s the option to just go AFK, but seriously, why do I become the [jerk] who ruins the fun for others who want to pvp themselves? Forcing players to play your mode out of rewards other than because it is fun for them is just a failure in design.”
This sentiment is echoed across multiple threads. Players feel they are forced to choose between missing out on premium currency or participating in modes they actively dislike.
AFK Strategies and Lopsided Matches
Because the rewards are tied to participation rather than winning, a common strategy has emerged: AFKing (Away From Keyboard). Players simply join the match and set their controllers down, allowing themselves to be defeated quickly just to collect the participation rewards.
This creates a negative feedback loop:
- PvE-focused players AFK to get it over with quickly.
- PvP-focused players face unengaged opponents, ruining the competitive integrity of the match.
- Matches become lopsided, with coordinated teams dominating solo players who are just trying to get their daily Annulith.
A Shift from Single-Player to Multiplayer?
Another major concern is the perceived trajectory of the game. NTE was initially marketed and perceived by many as a primarily single-player Action RPG with optional co-op elements (similar to Genshin Impact or Wuthering Waves). However, the recent string of events suggests a pivot toward a more multiplayer-centric model, drawing comparisons to Tower of Fantasy (another game developed by Hotta Studio).
“I didn’t get into NTE to play another pvp based game… I thought NTE was gonna be a mainly single player gacha like genshin or wuwa with a coop aspect… instead they are leaning very heavily into pvp stuff.”
What the Community Wants: Cooperative PvE
The community isn’t entirely against multiplayer; they are against forced PvP. A highly requested alternative is Cooperative PvE events.
Players have suggested ideas like:
- A revisited “Pink Paws Heist” with matchmaking, where the team shares points based on cumulative loot.
- Co-op boss rushes where players team up to take down massive anomalies.
- Vehicle events where the entire team chases down a single target together.
The consensus is clear: players want events that bring the community together in cooperation, rather than pitting them against each other in stressful, unbalanced PvP arenas.
Conclusion
Hotta Studio has a history of listening to player feedback, but the heavy integration of PvP in recent events has left many worried. Whether the developers will adjust the event structure to offer alternative ways to earn Annulith or introduce more cooperative PvE modes remains to be seen. For now, the AFK strategies in the Fight Championship will likely continue.