Amazon’s been teasing big news for New World, the survivalish MMORPG that it had in alpha testing earlier this year but dropped back out of alpha so Amazon could “design major new features” that were “large in scope and create changes to the world that could be disruptive.” That sounded ominous, but apparently unnecessarily so, as the slowly and disturbingly decaying tree the studio’s been teasing on Twitter this week gave way to an official announcement at The Game Awards – and unfortunately it was a reveal that was a bit scooped by the (unintentional?) public release of the game’s Steam page and website as well as its spring 2020 closed beta.
All of this is to confirm that at this evening’s Game Awards, Amazon formally announced that yes, the game is indeed launching in May of 2020, plus it dropped two new videos.
“During The Game Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles tonight, Amazon Games announced that New World, its first massively multiplayer online (MMO) PC game, will launch in May 2020. The launch timing was revealed in a cinematic trailer that introduced players to Aeternum, the Eternal Isle, a vast and diverse land of danger and opportunity.
“New World is an open world MMO set in the twilight of the Age of Exploration, during the 17th century. In New World, players are pitted against the haunted wilderness of a mysterious island known as Aeternum. Success in New World depends on players’ ability to conquer not only companies of rival players, but the dark soul of Aeternum itself, as it unleashes undead legions, hell-bent on purging them from its shores. In its unsettled state, Aeternum is open and chaotic, but rich in opportunity for soldiers, explorers, artisans, and empire-builders.
“Massive battles set New World apart, with fortress sieges against other players and supernatural invasions, featuring up to 100 players on the battlefield at once. Combat in New World is visceral and skill-based, giving players direct control over their movements and attacks. Players can band together to form powerful Companies operating out of fortified strongholds, or play alone and acquire and customize their own homes as they contribute to the growth of the larger community around them. New World provides near-limitless play, with classless character progression, social systems, and rich crafting mechanics.”
There are two new dev diaries too:
