Player versus environment
A term for fighting computer-controlled enemies in games.
Player versus environment (PvE), also known as player versus monster (PvM), is a term used in single-player and online games, particularly MMORPGs, CORPGs, MUDs, other online role-playing video games, and survival games. It refers to fighting computer-controlled enemies, in contrast to player versus player (PvP), which involves fighting other players. The term is sometimes misinterpreted as player versus entity or player versus enemy.
- Field
- Video game terminology
- Known for
- Describing gameplay against computer-controlled enemies
- Related terms
- Player versus player (PvP), Cooperative gameplay, Deathmatch
Lore & Background
Player versus environment (PvE) is a term used for both single-player and online games, especially MMORPGs, CORPGs, MUDs, other online role-playing video games, and survival games. It refers to fighting computer-controlled enemies, as opposed to player versus player (PvP), which involves fighting other players. In survival games, a large part of PvE may involve fighting the elements, controlling hunger and thirst, learning to adapt to the environment, and exploration.
Reader's Guide
The PvE mode can usually be played alone, with human companions, or with AI companions. It may contain a storyline narrated as the player progresses through missions, and missions may be done in any order. Examples from the source article include Guild Wars, which narrates its story through in-game cut scenes and dialogue with non-playable characters (NPCs), and where missions can be completed many times to enhance replayability. Characters in PvE mode are often protected against being killed by other players or having possessions stolen, though this is not always the case—Eve Online allows players to be ambushed by other human players while attempting quests. World of Warcraft offers players the choice of participating in open-world PvP or doing quests without interruption, by joining servers where PvP is enabled by default or by activating temporary 'flags' that allow attack from other flagged players.
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