What you need to know
- New World is a 2021 MMORPG from Amazon Games. Though the PC game had a hugely successful wave of initial success, it sharply fell off after a few months due to its lack of content and some issues with its gameplay and questing.
- Various post-launch updates and even a full DLC have failed to adequately address these problems and get players interested again, so Amazon Games is opting for a different approach with a full relaunch titled New World: Aeternum.
- This revamped "definitive edition" of the game will overhaul its writing and storytelling, add a large-scale PvP zone, a new 10-player raid, and more. It's also bringing New World to Xbox Series X|S and PS5 as well as PC.
- New World: Aeternum is slated to release in full on October 15, but this weekend from September 13-16, you can try it out for free on all three of the aforementioned platforms thanks to an open beta that's available to preload now.
Of all the games you could consider a flash in the pan, few stick out to me as much as Amazon Games' fantasy MMORPG New World. First released a little over three years ago on Steam in 2021, the game enjoyed huge waves of initial success — as SteamDB data shows, it peaked with an impressive concurrent player count of 913,634 — but sharply declined going into the dawn of 2022. By February of that year, fewer than 100,000 players were in the game at any given time, and its population has only continued to hemorrhage since. Today, its player count averages between just 4,000 and 5,000.
Ultimately, this downfall can be attributed to the game's lack of a solid content suite, PvE combat that just isn't engaging enough, and frustratingly bland quests and writing — all things I highlighted in my original review of New World, along with the painful amount of running from A to B you had to do before there were mounts. Amazon Games has failed to sufficiently address these problems with updates, but next month, it's gearing up for a much larger attempt with a full-scale relaunch. Titled New World: Aeternum, this "definitive edition" of the MMO is scheduled to go live on October 15 and will bring the game to both Xbox Series X|S and PS5 as well as PC.
Console availability is the biggest feature of the revamp, though it's far from the only one. When revealing it earlier this year, the developers also confirmed "a fully revamped storytelling approach with enhanced dialogue, in-game cinematics and pre-rendered scenes, the first-ever large-scale PvP zone, a challenging 10-player raid, new end-game solo trials, and more" (this dev video goes over everything), along with everything from the base game and its Rise of the Angry Earth DLC. And while the full release of Aeternum is still a month away, you can try it out for free this weekend thanks to its open beta.
The New World: Aeternum open beta runs from September 13 at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET until September 16 at the same time, and is available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam), and PS5. Notably, the beta can be preloaded now on all of these platforms, giving players a chance to get it installed ahead of time so they can start playing as soon as it's out.
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Another thing worth mentioning is that you'll get some exclusive beta rewards in the complete game if you participate in this playtest. The Aeternian Adventurer skin cosmetic for your character has been mentioned specifically by Amazon Games, though based on the wording of the beta's description on its store pages, it sounds like there will be other rewards as well.
According to the beta's official FAQ, this weekend test run of New World: Aeternum will include all content available before reaching Level 31; after the beta cap of Level 30 is hit, players can continue playing, but cannot progress further. Players will also have access to PvE Expeditions and open-world Influence Race PvP, along with PvP 3v3 Arenas once Level 20 is reached. Beta testers will not, however, have access to New World's in-game microtransactions store. The FAQ has also confirmed that cross-play support between Xbox and PlayStation and consoles and PC will be present, which highlights that it will be active in New World: Aeternum's full launch.
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I'm unfortunately not free to play games much this weekend, so I won't be checking out the beta myself. As someone who does like New World's "16th Century-meets-fantasy" style and its friendliness to casual players, though, I'm keen to see what Amazon Games has done in its latest effort to resuscitate its floundering MMO. I may have judged it harshly a few years ago, but I did have some fun with it, and I wouldn't be opposed to jumping back in if there's good reason to do so. Thank goodness there are mounts now.
But while myself, other early departures, and console players are no doubt curious about New World: Aeternum, long-time fans that have stuck with the game have been scathingly critical of the relaunch ever since it was revealed. One only has to read through the comments of the trailer and developer overview linked above to see that many feel their trust that a deep and extensive overhaul would come was misplaced, as on the surface, it doesn't seem like Aeternum is adding anything that's truly substantial. "I'm in utter disbelief on what y'all just announced. Never felt betrayed from a gaming studio before this. That's crazy," reads one remark.
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At the end of the day, only time will tell if New World: Aeternum is what the multiplayer title needs to recover, or if it's fated to be yet another stumble for Amazon Games (Xbox Game Pass availability would likely help). It's headed to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 on October 15 and will cost $59.99, with preorders available now.
