When Amazon announced it was developing and publishing an MMORPG as one of its first big videogame projects, many were taken aback. The result was New World, which has been a fairly decent success and has been well supported for years. But with the game being solely on PC, there have been calls for a New World PS5 and Xbox port. Well, those calls are being answered.
That’s right, Amazon now wants to make it one of the best PS5 games and best Xbox games with the launch of a new version titled New World Aeternum. Below you can find a primer on both the original version of New World and Aeternum.
New World release date
After a handful of delays, New World was released on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 on PC only. The soft reboot of the game, New World Aeternum, is slated to launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
Since its initial launch in 2021, New World has found a decent audience over on PC. While it’s not quite on the same level as other big MMO-style games like The Elder Scrolls Online and Destiny 2, player counts have been healthy enough to keep supporting it and even give it a fresh push to the console market.
During Summer Game Fest 2024, it was revealed that a new version of the RPG game called New World Aeternum would be launched, and that it would see PC players joined by those on the latest PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
How is New World Aeternum different?
New World Aeternum is not a direct sequel to the original New World. It is instead being referred to mainly as a ‘soft reboot’, which includes lots of quality of life improvements, revamped combat, swimming, new character archetypes, and much more.
As well as containing all of the content from New World’s base game, it comes with everything that was released post-launch too, including its Rise of the Angry Earth expansion. When Aeternum releases in October, loads of brand-new New World content will also be served up to players. Amazon is promising “New World’s first ever large-scale player versus player zone, a challenging ten-player raid, end-game solo trials”, and more.
There will also be full crossplay support between PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
A closed, invite-only console beta for New World Aeternum will take place for approximately one week, starting on July 11. If you’re reading this before then, you can sign up here.
New World and New World Aeternum price
When New World initially launched in 2021, the Standard version of the game cost $39.99 / £34.99 and the Deluxe version cost $49.99 / £43.99. Unlike some other MMOs, it didn’t require any kind of monthly or yearly subscription fee to play. Some of its major expansions, however, did require extra money to purchase.
Given it is an improved version of the game, and comes stuffed with all of New World’s past content, New World Aeternum is a bit more expensive. It will cost $59.99/£49.99 for the Standard Edition, or $79.99/£66.99 for the Deluxe Edition.
You can pre-order it from the PlayStation Store here, or from the Xbox Store at the link below.
New World gameplay
New World is an MMORPG set in the mid-1600s, with players expected to colonize a fictional land called Aeternum Island which is based on colonial America.
You compete for territories over a period of time, leveling up your character in the process. As you earn more experience and master more weapons, you have to overcome different challenges, many of which require you to team up with friends online.
To do that, you can join Guilds – or as they’re known in New World, companies – allowing you to develop chunks of the landscape into big towns. Through this process, you can purchase houses, which act as fast travel points, but beware: settlements can be attacked by rival companies.
There are also countless expeditions to experience in New World. These are quests that provide unique bits of gear, like armor and weapons, for you and your friends to use.
Expeditions also drop you crafting materials, which are vital to progress in New World. The game’s crafting system is fairly comprehensive with tons of skills to master.
Outside of skill mastery, you also have the chance to take part in PvP via an in-game faction system. There are also New World Wars, which are 50v50 skirmishes on a set part of the map.
So that’s what you need to know about New World and one of 2024’s most interesting new PS5 games and new Xbox games, New World Aeternum.