Amazon Winds Down Support for Aeternum, MMO's Still-Worthy Future Uncertain Amid Mass Layoffs and Shift in Focus.
After nearly four years of continuous content updates and a major console release, Amazon Games has made the difficult decision to discontinue support for New World: Aeternum. The announcement comes as part of the company's efforts to adjust its game development strategy amid widespread layoffs, particularly affecting MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) titles like New World.
In a blog post, Amazon explained that "after steady content updates and a major new console release, we've reached a point where it is no longer sustainable to continue supporting the game with new content updates." The recent Season 10 and Nighthaven update will serve as the final content release for the game on PC and consoles. Players can still purchase New World now, and it will remain available to PlayStation Plus subscribers until further notice.
Although the game's servers are set to be maintained through 2026, allowing players a minimum of six months' notice before any significant changes impact gameplay. This period of transition raises questions about the long-term sustainability of Aeternum as an MMO title, with Amazon seemingly shifting its focus towards cloud gaming services, such as Luna.
Amazon's decision to discontinue support for New World is part of a broader trend in the company's game development strategy, which appears to be evolving away from traditional MMOs. The Lord of the Rings MMO project has reportedly been canceled according to recent claims by former Amazon senior gameplay engineer Christopher.
New World, despite its popularity, has seen a significant decline in concurrent player counts since its release in 2021, with peak numbers reaching nearly 914,000 on Steam. While it remains a popular game, its continued support is uncertain as the company refocuses on more casual and AI-focused games for Luna, such as Courtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg.
After nearly four years of continuous content updates and a major console release, Amazon Games has made the difficult decision to discontinue support for New World: Aeternum. The announcement comes as part of the company's efforts to adjust its game development strategy amid widespread layoffs, particularly affecting MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) titles like New World.
In a blog post, Amazon explained that "after steady content updates and a major new console release, we've reached a point where it is no longer sustainable to continue supporting the game with new content updates." The recent Season 10 and Nighthaven update will serve as the final content release for the game on PC and consoles. Players can still purchase New World now, and it will remain available to PlayStation Plus subscribers until further notice.
Although the game's servers are set to be maintained through 2026, allowing players a minimum of six months' notice before any significant changes impact gameplay. This period of transition raises questions about the long-term sustainability of Aeternum as an MMO title, with Amazon seemingly shifting its focus towards cloud gaming services, such as Luna.
Amazon's decision to discontinue support for New World is part of a broader trend in the company's game development strategy, which appears to be evolving away from traditional MMOs. The Lord of the Rings MMO project has reportedly been canceled according to recent claims by former Amazon senior gameplay engineer Christopher.
New World, despite its popularity, has seen a significant decline in concurrent player counts since its release in 2021, with peak numbers reaching nearly 914,000 on Steam. While it remains a popular game, its continued support is uncertain as the company refocuses on more casual and AI-focused games for Luna, such as Courtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg.