Another one of Amazon's upcoming games has come into a bit of trouble — the New World release date has been delayed yet again and is now set for August 2021.
New World is an upcoming MMORPG from Amazon Games and has had its fair share of development troubles — not all that unusual for an Amazon Games title. It was first delayed to August 2020 and delayed again to 2021; now, it's being delayed for a third time until August 2021.
Check out the New World Developer Update to see an explanation of the game's release date delay!
New Features for New World
The reason for the latest New World release date delay largely comes down to the need for more time to add endgame content. As any MMORPG player knows, endgame content is what retains subscribers in the long term, and it's critical that Amazon Games gets this right.
"So, last summer we communicated that New World would launch this spring and that the team was gonna focus on adding more [mid-game] and end-game content," explained New World's Game Director Scott Lane. "Since then, we've identified a few very compelling features that just wouldn't make that timeframe and we believe these features are gonna transform the game, so we're gonna take the time to add them before we put New World in your hands."
One of the new additions is Ebonscale Reach, an end-game zone that serves as the home to an exiled empress who is building a corrupted fleet. This location will be playable in the game's upcoming closed beta.
Additionally, some PvE and PvP multiplayer content were detailed. "Expeditions" are five-player instanced adventures. Essentially, these are New World's version of raids. There will be PvP as well, naturally; the 20 vs. 20 "Outpost Rush" game mode will have players fighting over strongholds and strategic resources as noted in the Developer Update article.
When is the New World Beta Start Date?
The New World beta start date will be July 20, 2021. As one might expect, this closed beta will be accessible to anyone who pre-purchases the game.
"Closed beta's gonna be on July 20th [2021] and I really hope some of you come and take an early look at the game," Lane added.
The game's Alpha will continue in the meantime for the lucky few who were able to participate in that program. New World's Alpha will be expanding to EU servers on March 30, 2021.
When is the New World Release Date?
The updated New World release date will be August 31, 2021. These few months of extra time should give the developers the wiggle room to implement the new features detailed in the Developer Update video and blog post, ultimately making for a better game.
Hopefully, you'll be able to get New World without any more delays. If you'd like to play in the upcoming closed beta, you can pre-purchase New World on Steam starting at $39.99 or your regional equivalent.
What do you think of the New World release date being delayed for a third time? Do you think this game will be able to succeed? Let us know in the comments below!
