Amazon’s once-popular MMO New World: Aeternum will officially be taken offline on 31 January 2027, and will no longer be available for purchase from today. The news follows significant cuts at Amazon in October 2025 that disproportionally impacted its gaming division, as part of a concerted move away from internal game development.
New World: Aeternum shut down – quick links
Why New World: Aeternum is shutting down
In October 2025, Steve Boom, Vice President of Audio, Twitch and Games, reportedly told staff that Amazon had made ‘the difficult decision to halt a significant amount of [its] first-party AAA game development work – specifically around MMOs – within Amazon Game Studio.’
At the time, Amazon leadership confirmed development on New World: Aeternum would end, with the game’s tenth season being its last. The game was confirmed to enter maintenance mode, although exact details about a potential shut down were not revealed.
Now, the game’s fate is much clearer, as remaining staff have confirmed its incoming shut down, and its sudden delisting. While players will still be able to play New World: Aeternum over the next twelve months, with the Nighthaven Season extended for this period, 2027 will mark the final end of the game.
Amazon Game Studios statement on New World‘s shut down
In a blog post, Amazon Game Studios has thanked players for their support over the last few years, while promising a worthy sendoff for the adventure.
‘We want to thank the players for your dedication and passion,’ the team said. ‘We are grateful for the time spent crafting the world of Aeternum with you. Together we built something special. While we are saddened to say goodbye, we’re honoured that we were able to share so much with the community.’
‘It has been our pleasure to work on New World: Aeternum and evolve this unforgettable adventure with you all. We look forward to one more year together, and giving this fantastic adventure a sendoff worthy of a legendary hero. From the bottom of all our hearts, thank you for sharing this world with us.’
As confirmed, the game’s final year will not comprise any new content, with remaining staff only working on monitoring bugs and performance issues to ensure a smooth wind down.
New World: Aeternum‘s departure marks a significant turning point for Amazon and its ambitions in the gaming space. While it had invested in a variety of gaming experiences over the last few years, it does appear it’s set to refocus elsewhere, as it pulls back from internal AAA game development.
Also on ScreenHub: The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy DLC launches in February
EA and Maxis have confirmed the next major DLC for The Sims 4, the royal-focussed Royalty & Legacy Expansion Pack. In a new cinematic trailer, we see various royals dancing at a ball, with all sorts of drama playing out around them. One royal is having an affair and the nosy maid spots them, before threatening blackmail. Another royal has been cast out of his family line for unknown reasons. It’s all very messy, and should make for some very juicy Sims drama.
The big, overarching feature here is the ability to create a Royal Dynasty, where your family of Sims will share a legacy. Your Dynasty is defined by share values, and you’ll need to spend time building the Prestige and Unity of your crew to ensure a powerful bond.
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