Amazon to Shut Down New World in 2027 as Facepunch COO Makes Public Bid to Save the MMO
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Amazon Games is shutting down its MMORPG New World in January 2027, but Rust developer Facepunch has stepped up with a public buyout offer to save the game.
Amazon Games has officially announced that its 2021 MMORPG, New World, will shut down its servers on January 31, 2027. The news follows significant staff reductions at Amazon late last year and the confirmation that the upcoming tenth season, Nighthaven, will serve as the game is final update. The game has already been pulled from digital storefronts, meaning only existing owners can access the world of Aeternum for the final twelve-month farewell tour. The remaining development team released a statement thanking the community for their years of dedication and passion while promising to give the adventure a proper sendoff over the coming year.
However, a surprising lifeline emerged shortly after the announcement when Alistair McFarlane, COO of Facepunch Studios, publicly offered twenty-five million dollars to buy the game. McFarlane, whose studio is the team behind Rust, posted the buyout offer on social media alongside the sentiment that games should never die. The proposal gained immediate attention from other industry figures who know a thing or two about rescuing troubled projects. Simon Collins-Laflamme of Hypixel Games, who notably bought Hytale back from Riot Games before its successful release, chimed in with an offer to share tips on acquiring cancelled games.
The potential rescue bid highlights a growing conversation around game preservation and the fragility of live service titles in the modern ecosystem. When major publishers pull the plug after steep internal cuts, players lose access to digital worlds they have invested years into. While Amazon has not yet responded publicly to the Facepunch offer, the prospect of an independent studio stepping in gives the community a glimmer of hope that Aeternum might survive past its scheduled expiration date. Original reporting comes from Connor Makar at Eurogamer.
Source: Eurogamer
Tags: MMO, PC Gaming, Industry News, Amazon Games, Game Preservation
Original article: Eurogamer