New World Aeternum Removes, Replaces Original MMO in a Massive Overhaul

Amazon Games is launching New World Aeternum which will involve removing and replacing the original MMO as part of efforts to completely overhaul the title three years after release.

New World was a robust MMO launched in 2021 that served as the publisher's first-ever video release. A few years since then, there have been a multitude of changes and Amazon is planning on continuing its adventure into uncharted waters.

New World Aeternum

New World Aeternum will bring the full experience of the original game and more to consoles this fall. During the Summer Game Fest, some players were able to get a glimpse of the upcoming overhauled game, some of whom were impressed with what they saw.

The preview of the game started with New World's robust character creation system that featured dozens of options in multiple categories, such as face, hairstyle, scars, and more. This gives players plenty of freedom to design their character however they want, according to GameSpot.

This part features one major change, which is the Archetype system. This condenses the class-creation system from dozens of broad classes to a more focused set of abilities and weapon proficiencies.

For example, the Swordbearer is a tank class who excels in using heavy weapons and starts with buffs to their cooking and fishing skills. On the other hand, the Occultist class is capable of using elemental magic and starts with increased mining and jewel crafting abilities.

Creative director Dave Verafaillie also talked during the Summer Game Fest where he explained that Archetypes contributed to one of the team's main goals for New World Aeternum. He said that they also made the startup experience as quick as possible for players on consoles.

Overhauling the Original Game

In New World Aeternum, you will play as a shipwrecked pirate who interrupts as Conquistador performing an arcane ritual and gets wrapped up in this curse.

Players will start to hear a dark voice taunting them as they progress through the island in an effort to remove the corruption that is sweeping across it, said TheGamer.

The game plays like an entirely solo action-adventure game in the narrative prologue and features a compelling story with a mysterious feeling.

After players make their way through a chunk of narrative, they are given lots of exposition and dull tasks such as crafting a hunting knife, cooking a meal, foraging for supplies, and more.

Immediately after these objectives, you will arrive at a town and the game spends even more time teaching you how to store items and trade materials. So far, some players have complained about the sudden slowdown in progression in this part of New World Aeternum.

The game is set to be released in mid-October on the PlayStation, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Its appearance on the PlayStation Store also included a sponsored promo image that gave players a glimpse of the potential art design.

While showcasing titles at the Summer Game Fest is a relatively expensive endeavor, with reports noting that it costs roughly $250,000 per minute, it is a great avenue for Amazon to tease New World Aeternum and get more players excited for it, according to Insider Gaming.