Amazon Games has confirmed a new wave of significant layoffs, part of the larger 14,000 job cuts affecting the company. Alongside this downsizing comes a major strategic shift: Amazon is scaling back its first-party AAA game development, especially in the MMO space. One of the biggest casualties of this decision is New World: Aeternum, the company’s flagship online RPG, which will no longer receive new content updates.
A Major Change in Amazon’s Gaming Strategy
In an official update, Amazon Games explained that after years of continuous updates, it is no longer sustainable to support New World with new content.
“After four years of steady content updates and a major new console release, we’ve reached a point where it’s no longer sustainable to continue supporting the game with new content updates,” the company stated.
This move effectively marks the end of New World’s active development. While servers will remain live through 2026, Amazon has made it clear that the game’s long-term future is uncertain.
The End of a Mid-Tier MMO Success Story
For many players, the announcement came as a genuine shock. New World may not have reached the heights of giants like Final Fantasy XIV or World of Warcraft, but it built a respectable community and stood out as one of the few moderately successful MMOs from a major new publisher.
After launching in 2021, New World quickly attracted hundreds of thousands of players at its peak. Over time, its population stabilized, with consistent peaks around 50,000–60,000 concurrent players. These numbers showed the game still had a loyal player base – enough to suggest potential for steady growth if supported.
However, sustaining a large-scale MMO requires continuous development, new content, and regular updates – all of which are resource-intensive. Amazon’s statement suggests that despite the game’s modest success, the return on investment wasn’t enough to justify ongoing support.
What Happens to New World: Aeternum Now?
While the game won’t receive any new content, Amazon has confirmed that servers will stay live until at least the end of 2026. This means fans can continue to play and enjoy Aeternum for the next couple of years.
Amazon also promised that players will be given at least six months’ notice before any changes that impact their ability to play the game take effect.
More information about the shutdown process will be shared “in the coming months.” Although the company didn’t explicitly say when or how the servers will be turned off, the timeline suggests a gradual wind-down rather than an abrupt closure.
Why the Decision Makes Sense for Amazon
While disappointing for fans, this move reflects a broader strategic shift at Amazon Games. The studio has struggled for years to find its footing in the gaming industry. Despite massive resources, several projects-including the canceled Lord of the Rings MMO-failed to launch successfully.
New World was one of the few bright spots in Amazon’s gaming lineup. However, as the industry becomes increasingly competitive, even established MMOs are struggling to retain players. Maintaining an aging online game requires constant investment, and with the company facing massive layoffs, it’s understandable why Amazon chose to scale back.
The company now seems focused on partnership-based projects like Lost Ark (developed by Smilegate RPG), which allows Amazon to participate in the MMO market without bearing full development costs.
The Community’s Reaction
The reaction from the New World community has been a mix of sadness and resignation. Many players have expressed disappointment, noting that the game still had untapped potential. Others saw the writing on the wall after months of smaller updates and slower content cycles.
Players on forums and Reddit have also questioned whether it’s worth continuing to invest time or money in a game with no planned future content. For some, though, there’s comfort in knowing they still have time to explore Aeternum and enjoy the world before it fades away.
Looking Ahead
Amazon Games’ decision marks a turning point for both the company and its fans. It signals the end of Amazon’s biggest attempt to create a lasting, first-party MMO. For the players who’ve journeyed through Aeternum’s forests and fought its corrupted enemies, the next two years will be a farewell tour of sorts – a chance to enjoy what’s left before the world finally goes dark.
If you’ve been meaning to revisit New World: Aeternum, now might be the perfect time to log back in, team up with friends, and experience the adventure one last time.
