We knew the tip was coming. We’ve identified it was going to occur since late October when Amazon introduced that they have been purging their gaming studios, preferring to pursue a future constructed on an AI pushed Snoop Dogg path than something approximating a world. Goals of Center-earth crumbled and when it got here to New World… properly, that is what I wrote on the time.
Then there’s New World. That title is a lifeless man strolling if ever there was one. Everyone knows it. It’s only a query of how for much longer it should final.
I gained’t declare to be a clairvoyant in having predicted the plain. Because it seems, I wasn’t even pessimistic sufficient. In my new 12 months’s predictions I allowed that Amazon would announce the sport’s closure, however that it would final by the tip of 2026.
In a shock, particularly to myself, I could have hit that one on the nostril.
Welcome to a New World… please exit by the present store
Yesterday Amazon made an announcement that New World would shut down on January 31, 2027. The textual content of the announcement, because the assist web site will go away as quickly as the sport is gone, reads as follows:
A couple of months in the past we shared with you, our valued neighborhood, that no further content material would come to New World: Aeternum after the Nighthaven seasonal replace. We additionally stated extra particulars on what’s taking place subsequent, alongside different important info, would quickly observe. At the moment, we’re right here to share updates and supply transparency on the place the sport goes from right here.
New World: Aeternum will formally be taken offline from all platforms on January 31, 2027. On January 15, 2026, the title will likely be delisted and not obtainable for buy. Gamers will nonetheless be capable of play New World: Aeternum on their bought platform, and we’re extending the Nighthaven season till the servers are taken offline on January 31, 2027.
We need to thank the gamers on your dedication and keenness. We’re grateful for the time spent crafting the world of Aeternum with you. Collectively we constructed one thing particular. Whereas we’re saddened to say goodbye, we’re honored that we have been capable of share a lot with the neighborhood.
It has been our pleasure to work on New World: Aeternum and evolve this unforgettable journey with you all. We look ahead to yet one more 12 months collectively, and giving this improbable journey a sendoff worthy of a legendary hero. From the underside of all our hearts, thanks for sharing this world with us.
I’m a bit shocked Amazon saved their promise. Again in October they stated they might give not less than six months discover on the destiny of New World. I might not have been in any respect shocked if they’d determined to disregard that and plead particular circumstances requiring an early shuttering of the sport.
So in the event you nonetheless need to play some extra of New World, you will have time.
You probably have by no means performed it… properly, the chance has handed for you.
As famous within the quoted part above, the sport was delisted and made unavailable for buy yesterday.
There was additionally a brief FAQ appended to the announcement, which reiterates a number of the factors.
- How lengthy will I be capable of play New World: Aeternum?
- Gamers who’ve bought the sport will be capable of proceed taking part in till January 31, 2027, when the sport’s servers are completely taken offline. Following that date, gamers will not be capable of entry New World: Aeternum on any platform.
- Will I nonetheless be capable of buy in-game forex (e.g., Marks of Fortune) to be used within the recreation?
- Starting July 20, 2026, gamers will not be capable of buy Marks of Fortune or the rest in recreation.
- Are refunds obtainable for Marks of Fortune purchases?
- No, refunds aren’t obtainable for Marks of Fortune purchases.
- Will I nonetheless be capable of purchase the sport?
- No, as of immediately the sport is delisted and not obtainable for buy.
- Can I nonetheless set up New World: Aeternum if I had beforehand bought the sport?
- Sure, in the event you’ve beforehand bought New World: Aeternum then you may obtain and set up the sport once more.
- I not too long ago purchased the sport, can I get a refund?
- Please examine with buyer assist for the platform the place you bought New World: Aeternum for help.
- Will there be any further bug fixes, server merges, and many others. whereas the sport stays on-line?
- There will likely be no new content material or additional server merges for the rest of the sport’s life, however we’ll proceed to watch bugs and efficiency to make sure the sport runs easily as issues wind down.
- Will there nonetheless be world bosses and bonus weeks so long as the sport stays on-line?
- World bosses and bonus weeks will proceed till the servers shut down.
So will probably be round they usually’ll hold it working. You’ll be able to end out your completionist wants, however there gained’t be something new.
As for the historical past of the sport as we enter into its closing chapter… properly, it was a wierd experience.
Amazon introduced a enterprise mannequin of “purchase the field” with a beauty money store, which was sufficient to maneuver one million items fairly shortly when it launched on the finish of September 2021.
Within the first week Steam confirmed it placing up huge numbers, beating out the perennial favorites of the time, CS:GO and Dota 2.
SteamDB numbers at 19:04 UTC on Sunday Oct third
That led to some superb server queues.
Server queues on Tuesday of launch week
25,001 queued up for a server… that could be a hell of a queue for a server that was set to carry one thing like 2,000 gamers again at launch.
However Amazon had a plan for that! That they had their particular sauce server expertise that allow them spin up new servers. There have been points, however a minimum of Bezos himself was speaking to the press about having a success recreation on his palms.
After which it began going improper. Not sufficient planning? An excessive amount of success?
There was the launch in late September and by early December Josh Strife Hayes has an entire what went improper video chronicling the issues and missteps of the staff. By Might of 2022 it was the topic of a Demise of a Sport video, one other run by the litany of errors.
However it didn’t go away.
The staff labored on the issues, launched updates, and saved on going.
Nothing might get that day one mojo again nevertheless. The Steam numbers declined and by no means bounced again anyplace near their peak. Our group saved at it till February, then jumped over to Misplaced Ark.
I saved an eye fixed on the sport, however each time I went again to poke my nostril in, my outdated server had gone MIA and I needed to choose a brand new one.
However the staff was nonetheless capable of get an increase out of their viewers… however not in a great way after they tried to rename, rebrand, re-genre the entire thing for the console launch.
Previous World, New Identify
They have been clearly attempting to distance themselves from the PC title and the preliminary announcement made folks surprise if this was a brand new recreation, one thing completely different that what was on the market, one thing just for consoles that would go away PC gamers behind. It was complicated within the second.
I summed up my response in meme type.
Re-enactment of my second of discovery…
On Steam, the core remaining viewers felt betrayed and the evaluation bombing commenced.
That needed to sting…
The staff had to enter injury management mode, having realized that they’d screwed up badly.
Not for the primary time.
So the PC gamers felt alienated and the console clients weren’t sufficient to make up the distinction. The staff saved on working, however there was nothing for it. The repute had been set. It was yesterday’s new with nothing splashy and new sufficient to revive its fortune.
From the appropriate angle one is likely to be shocked that it lasted so long as it did. And who is aware of how the financials appeared. Amazon is sufficiently big that they’ll cover something of their quarterly outcomes. However the ongoing downturn within the business post-Covid did for it ultimately.
Amazon didn’t simply dump New World, it bailed on something like deep or severe titles when the layoffs got here.
I’ll seemingly put collectively a extra detailed timeline of my very own views and involvement with the sport when the tip comes. I’ve a 12 months to dwell on that.
Our group dug into it for some time, and it did have its charms. It stays in my prime ten most performed titles on Steam, forward of Misplaced Ark, if that’s any comfort.
We will see how issues play out over the following 12 months. Perhaps any person will purchase it.
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