Amazon's New World MMORPG: From rise to fall and back again

Amazon aimed to make a major impact in the MMORPG genre with New World, aspiring to rival giants like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV. Initially, the game appeared to be on track for success. Its dynamic PvP battles and in-depth crafting system were especially praised, helping the fantasy MMO reach an impressive peak of over 910,000 concurrent players in its first month after launch in September 2021. But it was never to reach these figures again. By November of the same year, player numbers had already plummeted by around two thirds.

While other MMOs retain their players through constant expansions and events, New World lacked consistent development. When new servers and a revised starting experience were introduced in November 2022, there was a brief increase in player numbers. After that, it was all downhill, resulting in a low of just 5,000 players in August 2024 - vanishingly low numbers for an MMO.

Instead of simply abandoning New World, Amazon has given the MMO a comprehensive overhaul. The current "Season of Opportunity" in the new edition of New World: Aeternum brings numerous new features - including a revised aim system, cross-world arenas with improved matchmaking, the new PvP zone "Cursed Mist" and a 10-player raid called "Lair of the Gorgons".

Amazon also wants to offer cross-play for PC, Xbox Series X/S (available here on Amazon for $450) and PlayStation 5 (here on Amazon in a used version for $550) to bring new momentum to the MMO world of New World - and so far it's working very well. Just four days after the rework's release on October 14, New World saw a surge in activity, with player numbers reaching a new peak of 54,000, according to SteamDB. On Steam, Aeternum is currently offered at the full price of around $60, but does not have the typical MMO subscription model.