New World Aeternum “doesn’t lose the MMO,” just redefines the solo experience

New World Aeternum will replace the original version of the MMO in just a few days, so we asked Amazon about the backlash from PC players.

Change is in essential part of live-service games. The Azeroth of 2004 is very different to the one we see in 2024, for example, expanded and improved with decades worth of new content. Despite only launching in 2021, New World is the same, with the Elysian Wilds getting an overhaul in Rise of the Angry Earth, and the colossal Brimstone Sands update adding a huge new zone. But with New World: Aeternum the world will change again, refining the single-player experience and adding a new raid and the eerie Cursed Mists PvPvE area. As the original New World is replaced by this shiny new version, some are lamenting its demise, so I ask senior producer Katy Kaszynski about the initial backlash Aeternum faced, and whether or not Amazon would ever consider ‘New World Classic.’

As I alluded to above, when the New World: Aeternum release date rolls around, the original MMO will cease to exist. It’s an approach we’ve seen a slew of games take in recent years (Overwatch 2 replaced Overwatch, then Counter-Strike 2 replaced CS:GO), but the surprise with which it was announced left fans out in the cold.

In the wake of the New World: Aeternum announcement, angry players were quick to review bomb the original game on Steam, expressing concerns over the transition into an ARPG, and the seeming refocus on console. While Amazon assured us Aeternum is the “ultimate New World experience,” the playerbase didn’t seem convinced.

I ask Kaszynski about this, and whether or not the negative response impacted the team’s strategy. “We definitely felt it,” she tells me. “We never want to disappoint our players. It’s always our goal to create something fun and exciting for them, and that was our goal with the announcement, too. We did have the plan of the next beat, and the next beat for our PC folks in particular, but I think that they just felt a little bit left out in the beginning.

“I appreciate that these are people that are really passionate, so even although they’re upset and they’re disappointed, we have the opportunity to make them excited and happy again. I think we ended up doing that.

“As you’ve seen, they feel more wrapped up in the next beats that we have,” she continues. “I feel like we recovered from that really well, and I feel like the PC and console audiences feel like they’re part of the excitement leading up to launch.”

She also stresses that New World Aeternum isn’t pivoting away from the original’s MMO feel entirely, noting that “none of the MMO elements are gone.” Instead, Aeternum has a “far more refined solo experience. Throughout New World’s life we started making a little bit more solo content. You used to have to do expeditions along the MSQ. We stopped doing that two years ago because of player feedback.

“It’s really interesting how the elements that we have that really lean into that ARPG space – the skill-based combat, the solo experience – all come from feedback from our live game, too, so it fed really well into moving towards the ARPG space. So you’re not losing any of the MMO pieces. We’re really just adding to it with ARPG elements; it’s the ‘solo in a crowd’ mentality.”

As Aeternum eclipses New World, however, I follow up on a question I asked at Summer Game Fest: will we ever get a World of Warcraft-style New World Classic experience for PC players who really loved the early years of the MMO?

“Oh what an interesting idea,” Kaszynski smiles, a sparkle in her eye. “The cool thing about Aeternum is that nothing’s really off the table; when you make a game like this that’s so big and has so much opportunity for the future you’re essentially putting everything on the table. The table’s massive, so we’ll just add this to the table and keep it under consideration.” If I could add the eyeball emoji in here, I would, but I can’t, it’ll break the website.

If you’re looking to dive into New World Aeternum when it launches, we have a list of all the New World servers to help you choose the right realm for you. Alternatively, check out our guide to all the best free MMOs if you’re looking to wile away the hours in the meantime.

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