In the world of gaming, a variety of gameplay modes can be challenging for beginners.

One of the key concepts is PvE – a mode in which players face challenges created by the game’s developers. What exactly does PvE mean in gaming, how does it stand out and which games can we find it in? Let’s take a closer look!

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What Does PvE Stand For?

PvE stands for Player vs Environment. This is a mode in which the player faces challenges designed by the game designers, rather than other players. These can be computer-controlled NPCs (Non-Player Characters), story quests or other obstacles. In this mode, your skills and understanding of the game’s mechanics are most important.

One of the biggest advantages of PvE is its slower pace, allowing you to take your time and enjoy the game without the pressure of competing against other players.

Different Kinds of PvE Experiences

Below you’ll find the explanations of different types of PvE experiences that you may encounter:

  • Main quests: The main missions in the game that move the narrative ahead
  • Dungeons: Confined spaces meant for group play, filled with enemies and bosses, offering rewards
  • Raids: Raids stand for more difficult types of dungeons, dealing with them require great teamwork and strategy
  • Open World Events: Challenges that suddenly appear in the game that other players can join
  • Horde Modes: A sort of test in which you and your allies must fight off an ever-increasing wave of enemies and survive as long as possible
  • Crafting and Gathering: In many occasions those two are considered a PvE content too

Source of the Term

The term PvE was needed to make a clear distinction between the two modes of gameplay – one focused on overcoming challenges set by the computer, and the other (PvP) focused on competing against other players. PvE gained popularity in the early days of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs), which used both PvE and PvP.

Popular PvE Based Games

To better illustrate PvE meaning in practice, here are 4 extremely popular games that rely on this gameplay mode:

In this epic game, you traverse the vast world of Azeroth, facing many obstacles along the way. The game can be a perfect example of PvE, with main quests that develop the story, dungeons and raids that require the support of a large number of players, and crafting that allows you to overcome challenges.

In Valheim, players find themselves in a Norse world where they must face powerful bosses that guard access to different biomes, craft their own tools and survive in harsh conditions. A key element of the game is the exploration of the generated world, which is filled with dangers such as hostile creatures.

In this exciting PvE game, the exploration of a vast open world full of secrets is the dominant element. In addition, there are many main and side quests to complete, as well as a large number of battles. Particularly challenging are the exciting battles with dragons, which are a key element of the game’s plot.

This thrilling game features an extremely varied storyline, a rich open world to explore and engaging quests. The Witcher 3 is also widely known for its monster hunting and combat, involving the use of spells, potions or other crafter tools and active interaction with NPCs that bring the world to life.

Now that you are familiar with the PvE meaning, its origins, and the elements of it present in the gameplay, you are ready to dive into the exciting world of games that will draw you in completely.