It's the end of an era for New World: Aeternum, as Amazon's MMORPG will be taken offline across all platforms in January 2027. As of this writing, New World: Aeternum has also been delisted and is no longer available to purchase, though players who have already bought the game can still experience all that the mystical island of Aeternum has to offer until the end.
Originally launched in September 2021, New World was Amazon Games' first MMORPG that it developed. Set on the mysterious island of Aeternum, New World mixed colonial and exploratory themes with otherworldly and Biblical references. The gameplay of New World allowed players to gather resources, try out various weapons, and participate in faction-based PVP combat. Ahead of its 2024 console ports, New World was rebranded as New World: Aeternum. Despite its intriguing dark fantasy setting and open-world content, New World: Aeternum received mixed to negative reviews on Steam throughout its lifespan.
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Say Goodbye to New World: Aeternum in 2027
Although New World: Aeternum had a peak Steam player count of over 913,634 during its early days, Amazon Games' MMORPG will see that count drop to zero next year. Amazon confirmed that New World: Aeternum would shut down its global servers on January 31, 2027, over five years after its 2021 launch. With the announcement that New World: Aeternum would be gone after its fifth year of service, Amazon also delisted the game from all storefronts. Ergo, New World: Aeternum can no longer be purchased. However, players who bought the game can still download, install, and play it while the servers are active. Amazon confirmed that no server mergers and no new seasons would be added to New World: Aeternum, though it would still provide bug fixes and maintenance as needed. Additionally, New World: Aeternum players can no longer purchase Marks of Fortune for any in-game goods, and no refunds on Marks of Fortune will be issued. However, world bosses and bonus weeks will continue in New World: Aeternum until January 31, 2027.
The announcement of New World: Aeternum' s future demise came nearly three months after Amazon Games painted a grim picture for the troubled MMORPG. In October 2025, Amazon stated that both Season 10 and its Nighthaven content update would be the final releases for New World: Aeternum, and that players would be notified with at least six months' notice should the studio decide to shut down the game's servers forever. Suffice it to say, Amazon Games has doubled that notice window, as New World: Aeternum has just over a year of life left before its servers are permanently shut off. Amazon stated that customers who want a refund on New World: Aeternum should check with customer support for the platform on which game was purchased.
New World: Aeternum's Fate Might Have Been Sealed Months Ago
However, the reason behind Amazon Games' choice to shut down New World: Aeternum was part of a larger problem affecting the gaming and tech industry. In late October 2025, Amazon announced a round of mass layoffs across the board, as over 14,000 corporate jobs were cut from the company. Amazon Games bore the brunt of that burden, as the company significantly reduced its staff count across its San Diego and Irvine game studios. Although the exact number of job cuts at Amazon Games, Twitch, and other gaming-focused subsidiaries was never publicized, the work reduction across Amazon's game development and publishing teams did not go unnoticed.
Although other MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14 will still remain open for the foreseeable future, New World: Aeternum's 2027 closure will mark a sad day for the genre. Although Amazon Games is still responsible for the overseas publishing of Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty, time will tell what the long-term ramifications of New World: Aeternum' s demise will be.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 72 /100 Critics Rec: 48%
- Released
- October 15, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Amazon Games
- Publisher(s)
- Amazon Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience a thrilling action RPG set on the supernatural island of Aeternum. As a shipwrecked explorer who washes ashore on the mysterious island, forge your destiny on an adventure filled with danger and opportunity.
Discover the island of Aeternum: Explore a massive, beautiful world and uncover the secret truth of the eternal island and its strange inhabitants. Endless opportunities to fight, forage, and forge await among the island's wilderness and ruins.
Play your way: Play solo or use cross-platform play to team up with others, or compete head-to-head in a variety of PvP battles. Customize the look, skills, and abilities of your character, and experiment with different builds to suit your play style.
Swords, guns & sorcery: Control magical forces or wield deadly melee and ranged weapons. Timing and positioning are key to defeating enemies in combat. Use your skills to survive the island's horrors and reap its valuable rewards.
Grow in power: Gather resources and refine them into working materials to craft powerful new potions, weapons and gear, and increase your power and skill in combat.
Summon your mount: Master horses, dire wolves, and lions, each with a unique look, dyeable equipment and a name you can set. Level up your Riding Trade Skill to earn upgrades like increased speeds, buffs and higher tier consumable food for your mount.
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- Wiki
