Amazon Confirms New World: Aeternum Server Shutdown for 2027 Amid Strategic Shift

2026-01-16 companies

Seattle, Friday, 16 January 2026.
Amazon Games will permanently shut down New World: Aeternum servers on January 31, 2027. This decision concludes a project that once boasted over 900,000 concurrent players, signaling a critical strategic pivot away from MMO development for the tech giant following long-term retention struggles.

The Sunset Timeline and Operational Wind-Down

Effective immediately as of yesterday, January 15, 2026, Amazon (AMZN) has delisted New World: Aeternum from all digital storefronts, meaning new players can no longer purchase the title [1][5]. While the game has been removed from sale, existing owners will retain full access to the servers for approximately one more year. The official server shutdown is scheduled for January 31, 2027, at which point all gameplay data and access will be permanently terminated [1][4]. To bridge the gap between the delisting and the final blackout, Amazon Games is extending the current in-game season, Nighthaven, until the servers go offline [8]. Furthermore, the company has outlined a specific cutoff for monetization: players will be unable to purchase the in-game currency, Marks of Fortune, starting July 20, 2026 [1].

Analyzing the Strategic Pivot

This shutdown is the culmination of a strategic realignment first signaled in October 2025, when Amazon announced it would cease the development of new content for the title [2]. This move aligns with reports indicating a broader shift within Amazon’s entertainment division away from high-budget AAA MMO development toward other focuses, such as party games [5] and AI-powered gaming experiences [2]. The decision also follows a period of significant restructuring; Amazon Games studios in Orange County, San Diego, and Irvine recently faced staff reductions as part of wider layoffs affecting at least 14,000 roles across the corporation [6]. By closing New World, Amazon appears to be cutting losses on a product that, despite its scale, became unsustainable to support.

From Record-Breaking Launch to Retention Realities

The trajectory of New World offers a stark case study in the volatility of the live-service gaming market. Upon its delayed release in September 2021 [7], the game achieved a historic launch, peaking at 913,000 concurrent players on Steam—a figure that currently ranks it 11th in terms of all-time peak players on the platform [4]. However, maintaining that momentum proved difficult. Recent data indicates a precipitous decline in engagement; shortly before the October 2025 announcement regarding the cessation of content, the player count briefly peaked at 51,031 but has since stabilized at a much lower volume. Daily concurrent player counts have recently hovered around 1,200, representing a decline of approximately -97.648 percent from that recent operational peak [2]. The title’s history was also marred by early technical controversies, including reports during its 2021 beta and launch window that the software was causing critical failures in high-end hardware, specifically Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 graphics cards [7].

Consumer Impact and Final Steps

For the remaining player base, Amazon has clarified that while the game remains playable for the next 12 months, no refunds will be offered for in-game currency purchases [1]. Players who purchased the game recently and were unaware of the impending shutdown are encouraged to contact customer support on their respective platforms, though refunds will likely be subject to standard digital storefront policies, such as Steam’s two-hour play window [2]. Amazon has stated that although no new content will be generated, they will continue to monitor game performance and bugs to ensure stability as the service winds down toward its 2027 conclusion [5].

Sources

Amazon Games Gaming Industry