When New World launched in 2021, it quickly captured the gaming community’s attention, with an initial surge in players that suggested Amazon Games had found a hit. However, despite its early momentum, New World struggled to maintain its player base and never quite reached the heights of genre giants like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV. Now, three years later, Amazon has made substantial updates to the game, revamping it into a more solo-friendly action RPG called New World: Aeternum. In an interview, Andrew Webster, the game's senior producer, provided insights into the major changes and challenges involved in this evolution.

A Solo-Friendly Redesign and Cross-Platform Play

One of the biggest transformations in New World: Aeternum is its shift to a more solo-friendly experience, addressing feedback that previous iterations of New World felt overly dependent on group content. The new approach allows players to enjoy the game on their own terms without necessarily relying on groups for every adventure. This design change opens the doors to a wider range of New World Coins players, including those who prefer single-player experiences in open-world RPGs.

Amazon Games has also introduced cross-platform play to make New World: Aeternum accessible to both PC and console players. This addition required significant adjustments, as the game was initially designed with a focus on PC mechanics and the precision of a keyboard and mouse setup. Scaling down the game for consoles without sacrificing its visual quality was a particular challenge, according to Webster. The team invested considerable effort to ensure that both performance and visual fidelity remained high on all platforms, making New World: Aeternum an inclusive, visually appealing experience for all players.

Perfecting the Console Experience

Transitioning New World to consoles involved more than just porting the game. Amazon Games had to rethink how players would interact with the game’s systems and combat using a controller. Webster shared that significant attention was given to designing controller-friendly mechanics that felt natural and engaging. For example, the team developed a 360-degree movement system for more fluid control, alongside aim assists and targeting features to level the playing field between console and PC players in PvP scenarios.

Balancing PvP with cross-platform play was another critical task. The development team introduced features like reticle magnetism and a target-lock system to make controller gameplay feel competitive alongside traditional mouse-and-keyboard setups. These adjustments allow players to engage in combat comfortably on any device, creating a fair experience across platforms.

Enhancements in UI and Accessibility

Adapting New World: Aeternum for consoles also meant revamping the user interface to be more intuitive. Amazon Games simplified complex menus, added controller-specific shortcuts, and implemented a virtual cursor for easier navigation. This redesigned UI makes it easier for console players to manage their inventory, engage in combat, and interact with the buy New World Gold coins environment without feeling encumbered by traditional MMO-style menu navigation.

Additionally, New World: Aeternum supports keyboard and mouse on consoles, giving players the flexibility to choose their preferred control scheme. These thoughtful additions ensure that players can fully enjoy the game’s systems without being limited by hardware constraints.

Community Feedback and Continuous Improvement

Feedback from beta tests has been crucial to shaping New World: Aeternum’s final form. Through player insights, the team fine-tuned various aspects of the game, especially in areas like PvP balance and controller functionality. Webster emphasized that the development team is actively listening to the community and remains committed to refining the gameplay experience as more players join the revamped world of Aeternum.

New World: Aeternum is not just a rebranding but a fundamental shift in the game’s design philosophy. By making the game more accessible, responsive, and solo-friendly, Amazon Games hopes to draw back lapsed players while attracting new ones. The revamped mechanics, cross-platform play, and reimagined controls highlight Amazon’s commitment to breathing new life into New World, positioning it as a competitive player in the MMO genre with a unique action RPG twist.

For fans of New World or newcomers curious about Amazon Games’ ambitious MMORPG, Aeternum offers a fresh and adaptable way to explore the rich, evolving world of Aeternum.