I’ll be honest: initially, I was pretty sceptical about New World: Aeternum. While I plowed hours into the base MMORPG when it released back in 2021, it never quite sunk its claws into me in the same way that World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy 14 did. While I loved the juxtaposition of the 17th-century setting and the colorful Fable-esque magic, the grind just got a little too much for me and I fell off pretty quickly. It’s always been a game I’ve wanted to go back to, though, and Aeternum is probably the best time to do so.
I took a look at New World: Aeternum at Summer Game Fest, and while initially, I found it all to be very similar, upon revisiting the base MMORPG, a lot has changed. The introductory sequence feels more dynamic and looks absolutely stunning, combat feels more fluid and, most importantly, you can now swim – yes, it’s taken a while, but we got there.
While the news that New World ‘classic’ is being replaced with Aeternum has certainly caused a stir, this does feel like the overhaul that the game needs. In the past month, for example, Steam Charts tells me that New World’s 24-hour peak is only 3,869 – a little worrying for an MMO. By comparison, Guild Wars 2 (which is a lot older) comes in at 4,264, and Final Fantasy 14 has 41,885 players at peak – and that’s if you don’t count those playing via ArenaNet and Square Enix’s own launchers.
It makes sense, therefore, that Amazon Games is looking to expand across to consoles, but that’s good news for PC players, too. A new closed beta test is set to drop just ahead of the New World Aeternum release date in October, giving you a chance to take the new and improved action-centric version of the game for a spin.
You’ll be able to collect a series of new rewards, which will carry across to Aeternum when it launches. Note that your progress won’t be saved, so don’t expect to rock up on day one with all of the best gear.
The New World: Aeternum closed beta test begins on Friday September 13 at 9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm BST / 6pm CEST, and runs until Monday September 16 at the same time. Note that it’s only available to players in APAC, Europe, North America, and South America. Crossplay is also available.
You’ll be able to pre-load the beta from Wednesday, September 11.
As we gear up to dive back into the heart of this foreign, yet somewhat familiar version of Aeternum, check out our New World Aeternum preview from Summer Game Fest for some hints as to what to expect. Alternatively, if you’re looking to pick up a totally different but equally massive experience, we have a list of all the best free MMORPGs.
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