Highlights

  • Valheim's PvP mode could use an update to add variety and entice PvP fans.
  • Valheim's PvP system needs improvement to level the playing field for more engaging combat.
  • However, an increased focus on PvP may not compliment Valheim's survival gameplay loop.

Multiplayer games can be a breeding ground for highly competitive behavior, since players often relish the chance to square up against others in a test of skill and experience. That's why many new developers are making PvP the main focus of their titles, with PvE taking a back seat in deference to ranked multiplayer models. However, some games like Valheim have stuck to their predominantly PvE roots, and Iron Gate Studios' staunch position makes for an intriguing discussion. Valheim's PvP was designed to be a garnish on the main dish of Viking-themed PvE, and an update to the game mode could change its outlook in the grand scheme of things, although such a pivot would come with merits and losses.

The PvP revolution in gaming is still in full flight, with titles like Counter-Strike 2 and Call of Duty Warzone providing examples of a player base thriving in the spirit of competition through seasonal events. Naturally, gamers register complaints about the PvP mechanics from time to time, but PvP games' success is encouraging more developers to get in on the action and strike while the iron is hot. Despite the increasing importance of PvP to a title's fortunes, Valheim has maintained its PvE focus, though a section of its players would like to see an update shake up the status quo.

Valheim Viking Base With Longboat
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An Update to Valheim's PvP Mode Could Yield Dividends for Iron Gate

The potential benefits Valheim stands to reap from a PvP update are obvious. An influx of PvP enjoyers into the player base, which could lead to an additional revenue stream stemming from custom event-themed gear, sounds tempting for any developer to explore.

Valheim's PvP Needs a Level Playing Field to Thrive

That said, in terms of actual gameplay, Valheim's PvP mechanics are lagging behind its competitors in various ways. In some circles, the current PvP meta gameplay is seen as imbalanced -- a problem stemming from its bit-part role in Valheim's blueprint. An update could further cement its status as one of the best sandbox games on offer.

Typically, PvP games deploy a system with crowd control and abilities that level the playing field for players with weaker inventory. Instead, Valheim features comparatively basic strike-and-parry combat mechanics where the player with better weaponry and armor almost always wins. To solve this problem, Iron Gate Studios gave players the power to accept and reject proposed PvP fights so that gamers with significantly inferior loadouts could refuse a duel altogether. However, this approach isn't much of a solution for players who relish fights where the odds are against them. An update allowing for more equity is a pro for the developer to consider.

Valheim's PvP Could Be More than a Dueling Ground

Additionally, an update to Valheim's PvP mechanism could also expand on the current landscape of the mode. Presently, players are confined to 1v1 duels, while multiplayer giants allow gamers to form teams. Given Valheim's Nordic setting, it makes even more sense for an update to harp on a Viking dynamic. The Vikings from the Middle Ages were notorious for their large-scale raids, and while Valheim already does an admirable job of promoting the Viking spirit, a PvP system based on raiding could take things up a notch. Players could be divided into multiple tribes, building bases and outfitting them with defenses in anticipation of attacks from raiders, making for classical cooperative gameplay.

Valheim May Not Need to Focus on PvP

On the other hand, there's a plausible reason why PvP hasn't received so much attention from Valheim's developers. In survival games like DayZ where PvP played a gradually expanded role, the mode proved more of a distraction than a complement to the original ecosystem. In Valheim's case, gamers can affect other players' experiences even with the PvP mode turned off. Bases can be destroyed, and those without protective ward stones are vulnerable to looting -- which brings the need for a PvP update into question. Valheim's PvP certainly has a lot of untapped potential, but trading the current peaceful (and occasional trolling) environment for often-toxic PvP might be too much for this game.