Amazon pulls plug on New World MMO
Amazon Game Studios confirmed that New World will receive no further content updates after Season 10: Nighthaven launched this month, citing financial unsustainability. The game servers will stay active through Dec. 31, 2026, with a six-month advance notice planned before permanent closure.
The studio released New World in September 2021 as the first major Western multiplayer online game since The Elder Scrolls Online seven years earlier. Amazon shifted the game from sandbox player-versus-player combat to traditional story-driven content before launch, creating design conflicts that alienated both audiences.
Players abandoned the game within months despite early success that drew praise from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Developers added dungeons, an expansion, and a console version to retain interest, but the efforts failed to reverse declining participation.
Amazon has not disclosed plans for its Lord of the Rings online game, which the company revived two years ago. The New World shutdown follows recent layoffs at the studio’s California location.
