New World: Aeternum News

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Lost treasures, dark secrets, and supernatural wonders await during the New World: Aeternum Open Beta. We’re thrilled to embark on our first journey to Aeternum with Adventurers across both console and PC.

• Start date/time: September 13 at 9AM PT
  
• End date/time: September 16 at 9AM PT
  
• Cross-play platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S
  
• Regions: North America, South America, Europe, and APAC
  

Players will be able to pre-load the Open Beta beginning on September 11 at 9AM PT. There are no prerequisites to join. Just log in to a supported platform and download the game once it's available. Please share your feedback on as many features and systems as possible to help us deliver the best experience possible.

[h2]Earn Day 1 Rewards[/h2]

Explore the Eternal Isle and level up your character during Open Beta to receive exclusive rewards like the Aeternian Adventurer skin when New World: Aeternum releases on October 15. All rewards earned during Open Beta will only be available on the same platform. For example, if you played Open Beta and leveled up your character on PC, you will only receive the following rewards on PC.

• Aeternian Trailblazer - Title: Participate in Open Beta
  
• Vambrace of the Aeternian Adventurer - Gloves: Reach level 10 with any character
  
• Jackboots of the Aeternian Adventurer - Footwear: Reach level 15 with any character
  
• Britches of the Aeternian Adventurer - Legwear: Reach level 20 with any character
  
• Tricorn of the Aeternian Adventurer Headwear and Greatcoat of the Aeternian Adventurer Chestwear: Reach level 25 with any character
  

Open Beta progression will be capped at level 30. Here’s an overview of the game, plus a preview of level 30 activities to carve your destiny on the cursed island.

[h2]A Paradise Plagued by Immortality[/h2]
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A shipwreck becomes your first step into the clutches of an island lost to time. Death does not exist here. An even worse sentence — a loss of memory, purpose, and self — lurks in the shadows. For all immortality gives, it continues to take. The mindless hordes possessed by the insatiable evils of the Corrupted only accelerate this vicious cycle. Whether by coincidence or fate, you learn of an ancient order that stood against those seduced by whispers of power. Choose how to shape your journey as you unravel Aeternum’s mysteries and thwart the Corrupted before they drift beyond its shores.

[h2]Customization[/h2]

Everything from your character to their outfit, weapons, tools, mounts, camp skins, and emotes are fully customizable. That flexibility extends to the rest of your journey, as the entire story can be completed alone or with friends across all platforms. Learn various Trade Skills like Cooking, Crafting, Musical Instruments, and Fishing along the way for an even more immersive experience. Need stronger gear? Craft a sword and sell it at the nearest settlement. Want more coin to purchase a house? Play an instrument at the center of a bustling town for tips. There are multiple ways to progress and grow in power.

[h2]Play Your Way[/h2]

Discover your perfect combination of weapons, abilities, and skill trees to survive the island's wild environment. Throughout the vast world, you’ll collect an arsenal of 15 distinct weapons. Finding the best one for your playstyle is part of the adventure. Early on, you'll select a character archetype. This will determine your starting weapons, better ease you into the dynamic, real-time combat, and include initial Trade Skill boosts. Regardless of your choice, you can freely switch between any of the following weapons after you find them:

• One-handed weapons: Hatchet, Rapier, Flail and Shield, Sword and Shield
  
• Ranged weapons: Blunderbuss, Bow, and Musket
  
• Two-handed weapons: Greatsword, Spear, Great Axe, and War Hammer
  
• Magical weapons: Void Gauntlet, Ice Gauntlet, Fire Staff, and Life Staff
  

[h2]Arenas[/h2]
This small-scale 3v3 PvP game mode offers the perfect training conditions to prepare for your inevitable fight against the Corrupted. Unlocks at level 20.

[h2]Amrine Excavation[/h2]
Unearth some of the island’s darkest secrets in Expeditions like the Amrine Excavation. The Amrine Excavation is a dig site just west of Amrine temple, where famed archeologist Simon Grey and his team have been missing for some time. It’s up to players to venture into the depths of this troubled dig site to uncover their fate and discover what happened with the ancient technology they unearthed. Recommended level: 25.

[h2]Mounts[/h2]

Traverse Aeternum faster, express yourself, and complete time trials with customizable mounts. There’s also a Riding Trade Skill to master. How will you level up your trusty companion for even quicker travel? Mounts unlock at level 20.

[h2]Factions[/h2]
Factions are another way to forge your legacy. You can join either the Covenant, Marauders, or Syndicate. Each steadfast in their beliefs, your allegiance will dictate your allies in cooperative activities. Together you can complete quests, fend off dangers in the open world, and even form a Company. Progress within your Faction's ranks to access additional rewards. Your fellow members might gift you gear for easier progression or revive you in chance encounters while traveling to their next destination. Lend a hand to help your Faction thrive. Factions unlock at level 17.

[h2]Influence Races[/h2]

Capture Influence Towers and strike down enemy Factions in open-world PvP combat for territorial supremacy.

[h2]Pre-order Bonus: Azoth Stalker Wolf Mount[/h2]

Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 players who pre-order New World: Aeternum, and PC players who have purchased the Rise of the Angry Earth expansion will receive the Azoth Stalker Wolf Mount as a bonus. For PC players to be eligible to get the Azoth Stalker Wolf Mount, they must also log in to a server with one of their characters after the New World: Aeternum announcement on June 7, 2024, and before Oct. 14, 2024 at 11:59PM (PT). See additional details.

Thanks for your support! We’ll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

New World Update 5.0.4 downtime will begin at 11:00 p.m. PT (6:00 a.m. UTC) on July 23 and last approximately 1.5 hours. Empower your weapons, confront Dryads, and save Aeternum from the Fury of the Spriggan. This update also marks the end of the Summer Medleyfaire. Check out the full release notes, including various combat bug fixes, below.

[h2]FURY OF THE SPRIGGAN[/h2]

The Earth has been restless since the Ennead awoke. Empower your weapons, confront Dryads, and save Aeternum from the Fury of the Spriggan. Courageous players can join 20+ Adventurers in open-world encounters from July 24 to August 6 for daily, event-specific rewards.

Dryad Shamans have been spotted throughout Brightwood, Ebonscale Reach, Edengrove, Mourningdale, and Brimstone Sands. Construct Flame Braziers to strengthen your weapons before these deadly foes overrun Aeternum.

[h3]COMPLETION REWARDS[/h3]

Each victory over the Spriggan nets players one of the following rewards:

• One level-appropriate procedural weapon or armor piece - guaranteed to be Rare or above.
  
• A roll for various container resources.
  
• A roll of level-appropriate consumables (health, mana, etc.).
  
• 1 Obsidian Gypsum (standard 3x loot limit still applies).
  

[h3]DAILY BONUS REWARDS[/h3]

Players can topple the Spriggan multiple times throughout the same day, but will only receive a maximum of 3 daily bonus rewards. These reset at 5 a.m. local time. For example, if a player grabs their third Cache at 4:58 a.m., they’ll be able to earn another at 5:01 a.m.

Defeat the Spriggan to earn a special Cache (up to 3 daily) containing event-specific loot:

• 1 event-only Mossborne Weapon - guaranteed to have Weapon Appropriate Attribute + Empty Gem Slot.
  
• 1 event-only Mossborne Armor Piece - Guaranteed to have Armor Weight Appropriate Attribute + Empty Gem Slot + Health Perk.
  
• 20 Dark Matter
  

Triumphant players also get:

• A roll with (Guaranteed 1 of 12 selected perk resources, a 25% chance of rolling 1 of 6 exclusive upleveled Named items, and a 5% chance of rolling a Timeless Shard).
  
• A roll with a 2% chance of Spriggan Flame Brazier housing item - this percentage chance increases slightly after each roll.
  

[h3]COMBAT[/h3]

• Life Staff healing abilities will now cancel properly without costing Mana or incurring ability cooldown when casting a healing spell and the locked-to target dips out of healing range.
  
• Fixed an issue with the Bow that caused slightly faster attack speed when canceling the Rain Of Arrows, Penetrating Shot, or Poison Shot abilities.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused attack canceling a dodge and then dodging again to not decrease stamina.
  
• Mounts can no longer jump Luna outposts’ walls to bypass the outpost gates.
  

[h3]SEASONAL ITEMS[/h3]

• Updated 2024 Summer armor patterns to have correct level requirements.
  

Thanks for your support! We’ll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

New World continues to grow, change, and adapt thanks to player feedback, seasonal content, and expansive narratives. Since the game launched in September 2021, Aeternum now features more Expeditions, weapons, threats, zones, and game modes. There are also revamped main storyline quests and vast quality of life improvements.

Players who have yet to experience the Eternal Isle can pick up New World for up to 60% off during the Steam Summer Sale now through July 11.

• Standard, Deluxe, and Azoth Editions - 60% off.
  
• The Rise of the Angry Earth expansion - 20% off.
  
• The Elysian Edition bundle - 42% off. Contains both the base game and Rise of the Angry Earth. Rise of the Angry Earth includes mounts, a transformed zone, the Flail, and additional endgame content.
  

[h2]NEW WORLD: AETERNUM CONTENT[/h2]
Adventurers who own New World (base game) and the Rise of the Angry Earth expansion on PC prior to the release of New World: Aeternum will receive a free update that includes all of the new content on October 15. Those that own the base game, but not the expansion will need to purchase the Rise of the Angry Earth expansion to fully experience everything New World: Aeternum has to offer at launch. All PC players who log in to New World June 7 through October 14, 2024 will receive the Azoth Stalker Wolf Mount. Please note, the expansion is required to use mounts.


All of the optimizations and enhancements made for console, plus any future updates, will also be available for PC players. Enjoy high quality visuals and performance, input parity, combat action optimizations such as target locking and aim assist, and controller navigation and accessibility features. Additional features include a fully revamped storytelling approach with enhanced dialogue, in-game cinematics and pre-rendered scenes, the first-ever large-scale PvP zone, a challenging 10-player raid, new end-game solo trials, cross-play functionality across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, and more.
[h2]WHAT IS NEW WORLD?[/h2]
Set during the twilight of the Age of Exploration, you embark on an arduous journey in search of rumored riches, but encounter the island’s mysterious wrath. Uncover the truth behind Aeternum’s dark secrets, navigate its strange inhabitants, and pursue perilous opportunities alongside your fellow Adventurers. What story will you bring to the Eternal Isle? Here’s what to expect when you travel to the supernatural island of Aeternum.

[h3]REVAMPED MAIN STORYLINE[/h3]

The entire New World main story questline has been fully updated from end to end, based on player feedback.

• Start the adventure with friends: Players spawn in one of several zones at the beginning of the game. Head to a friend’s location to play early quests together.
  
• Multiple ways for solo and group players to progress: There are different objectives for certain quests that give you the option to remain solo or join a group of players depending on your preferred experience.
  
• Diverse objectives to keep gameplay fresh: Objectives range from puzzle and traversal challenges to unique interactions with the world and dynamic events. There’s always something new to find.
  
• An epic adventure surrounding the mysteries of Aeternum: Conquer new enemies, obstacles, and locations to reveal the truth about the Eternal Isle.
  

[h2]NEW ZONE: BRIMSTONE SANDS[/h2]

Death hovers over the scorched wastes of Brimstone Sands, its thirst still unsatisfied even after centuries of strife and war. Roughly the size of 2.5 Everfalls, this zone features new enemies to fight, a new territory to control, and new stories to uncover.

[h2]NEW EXPEDITION STORYLINES[/h2]
[h3]TEMPEST’S HEART[/h3]

Pursue the Tempest into a corrupted dimension of reality, through the twisted capital city of Myrkgard, then discover the secrets of Isabella’s past as you dive deeper into her corrupted mind.

[h3]BARNACLES & BLACK POWDER[/h3]

Rumors suggest there might be an even greater power within the Admiral’s hold. Not to mention, more than meets the eye…

[h3]THE ENNEAD[/h3]

Explore ancient mysteries with Imhotep, battle powerful Sand Demons, and perhaps, if you persist, restore the rightful ruler who can finally bring order and hope to the region after centuries of chaos.

[h3]EMPYREAN FORGE[/h3]

Pursue the commanders of Sir Loth, a knight of Artorius, to stop the flow of elemental magic deep within an Ancient Forge.

[h3]THE GLACIAL TARN[/h3]

You will need to purchase Rise of the Angry Earth to enter this Expedition.

The Glacial Tarn is a new Level 65 Expedition set in the Great Cleave. Explore a cavernous frozen complex hidden beyond the Empyrean Forge in pursuit of the Varangian Knight Ser Loth. Locate and harness the primordial magic of the Empyrean Flame to overcome enemies and obstacles imbued with Ice Magic, and destroy Ser Loth before his power consumes all of Aeternum.

[h2]NEW WAYS TO PVP[/h2]
[h3]INFLUENCE RACES[/h3]

Capture new Influence Towers and strike down enemy Factions in open-world combat for territorial supremacy. Regardless of who wins, the attacking Faction with the most influence can escalate the conflict into War.

[h3]3V3 PVP ARENAS[/h3]

Find the best team weapon combination based on your playstyle to wipe out foes before each 2-minute round ends. A deadly ring of fire will appear when the timer runs low. How will you engage the enemy inside a shrinking battlefield?

[h3]PVP REWARDS TRACK[/h3]

Our PvP Rewards Track encourages players to join all forms of PvP, including open-world activities, for special prizes. Look forward to new gear, weapons, emotes, and more.

[h2]NEW WAYS TO PVE[/h2]
[h3]WINTER RUNE FORGE[/h3]

Join up to 10 max-level players in a bone-chilling gauntlet of increasingly difficult enemies. This Trial requires teamwork to overcome Rune puzzles, slay an Icey Construct, and fell an Ancient Ice Guardian for unique rewards. The Winter Rune Forge will be available as part of Season 5.

[h3]THE HATCHERY[/h3]

Fight through waves of enemies to earn unique rewards in this weekly activity for 10+ max-level players. Players can earn the maximum amount of rewards 7 times a week and will then receive smaller rewards for subsequent runs.

[h3]ELITE TRIAL: ARENA OF SHAH NESHEN, THE DEVOURER[/h3]

Enter the Arena of Shah Neshen, the Devourer, and defeat the massive sandwurm for elite rewards in a challenging new PvE game mode for 20 max-level players.

[h3]RAID GROUPS[/h3]

Create a raid group of up to 20 players to communicate, coordinate, and share spoils across large-scale, open-world activities.

[h2]NEW WEAPONS[/h2]
Players can now use a total of 15 unique weapons. Mix and match your favorites for something fresh. You can also customize each weapon’s distinct skill trees to best suit your playstyle.

[h3]VOID GAUNTLET[/h3]

Players looking for something different should take advantage of this magical damage/support hybrid weapon to support allies and debilitate enemies. A wide arsenal of buffs and debuffs make the Void Gauntlet perfect for players that want to significantly bolster allies at the expense of their enemies in group combat.

[h3]BLUNDERBUSS[/h3]

The Blunderbuss combines high-mobility with potent short-to-mid range damage. It’s the first weapon to scale on Strength and Intelligence, making it a good companion for bruiser or mage builds.

[h3]GREAT SWORD[/h3]

This blade utilizes offensive and defensive stances to adapt to different situations. Learn the risks and rewards of each option to survive in battle.

[h2]SEASONAL CONTENT[/h2]

Each Season introduces fresh content like a new Season Pass, Journey, new Activity Activity Card, new Challenges, and new rewards.

[h2]RISE OF THE ANGRY EARTH EXPANSION[/h2]
The lush greenery of Elysian Wilds, powerful new combat options, and primordial Beast Lords await those brave enough to challenge Artemis. You will need to purchase Rise of the Angry Earth to experience the following updates:

[h3]NEW STORY[/h3]

First Light has fallen. Once a welcoming place for newcomers to Aeternum, the lands have been overtaken by the fury of the Angry Earth. No one is certain what has become of the people and villages that once populated the area, and a deadly bramble has kept all but the most intrepid from attempting to find out. This abundance of earthly powers has awakened the mighty Beast Lords, a new possible adversary facing the people of Aeternum… but with them also comes a boon — the secret to taming and riding animals.

[h3]MOUNTS[/h3]

Summon a mount for faster traversal across Aeternum. Master horses, dire wolves, and lions, each with a unique look, customizable equipment, and a name you can set. Level up the new Riding Trade Skill to earn upgrades like increased speeds, buffs and higher tier consumable food for your new friend.

[h3]A ZONE TRANSFORMED: ELYSIAN WILDS[/h3]

The southeastern tip of Aeternum, formerly known as First Light, has been invaded by the powers of Artemis and the Angry Earth. Explore the raised structures of this magical new landscape and battle the ferocious beasts that have taken refuge in the verdant, unsettled terrain.

[h3]NEW WEAPON: FLAIL[/h3]

The Flail is a versatile one-handed weapon with the option for an offhand shield. Use arcane magic to enhance attacks and buff allies or debuff enemies for an easier victory. Through a combination of melee, arcane magic, and strong defenses, the wielder can bolster their group’s effectiveness without dropping the offensive.

[h3]NEW GEAR RARITY: ARTIFACTS[/h3]
Find and equip Artifacts, a powerful new tier of weapons and armor. Complete a series of quests and awaken the Artifact’s full potential by unlocking its six perks including one unique playstyle-defining perk to change your game.

[h3]NEW PROGRESSION[/h3]

Increase your character’s level to 65 and Gear Score to 700 with new attributes to help power up your builds. Increase Trade Skills to level 250 with new items to gather, refine, and craft. Complete a new Faction Quest and unlock a new Faction tier loaded with desirable gear and items.

[h3]NEW EXPEDITION: THE SAVAGE DIVIDE[/h3]

The powers of Artemis flourish within these caverns of stone and ancient root. Embark on a dangerous new Level 62+ Expedition to track down the primordial Beast Lords before pandemonium emerges from the depths of Aeternum. The elemental chaos of the Savage Divide awaits.

[h3]NEW HEARTRUNE ABILITY: PRIMAL FURY[/h3]

Turn into a hulking beast, tower over enemies, and ravage foes with unarmed light and heavy attacks.

[h2]EVENTS[/h2]
[h3]SUMMER MEDLEYFAIRE[/h3]

Celebrate Musical Instruments and Fishing when the Summer Medleyfaire returns from June 26 through July 23. Whether you visit a Summer Village for the first time or already raised your reputation with the Medleyfaire Maestro, every seasonal activity is back. Catch new seasonal items like the Maudlinbug Jar Emote and returning rewards such as the Long Swordfish Longsword Skin. You can even frame your favorite fish as housing decorations at Mount-A-Catch stations.

[h2]WHAT ELSE IS NEW?[/h2]

• Native controller support: Choose from two pre-set controller layouts to enhance your New World experience.
  
• Upgraded combat and animation system: The combat and animation system will be overhauled for enhanced performance in high-traffic areas with many players, such as Wars and Outpost Rush.
  
• Gear Set Storage: Quickly save and switch between your favorite gear sets after reaching Level 25.
  
• Easier leveling: It now takes players less time to level up and improve required Trade Skills.
  
• Heartrune abilities: Players can now further customize their playstyle through Heartrune abilities. Once fully charged through combat actions, players can trigger an ability. Experiment with and upgrade each one to find a favorite.
  
• More build variety: Thanks to player feedback, we’ve removed Creature Bane Perks, Creature Ward Perks, Resilience Perks, and Expertise. As a result, you can now enjoy more build variety.
  

Thanks for your support! We’re excited to continue working on the future of New World. See you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

New World Update 5.0.3 downtime will begin at 11:00 p.m. PT (6:00 a.m. UTC) on June 25 and last approximately 1.5 hours. Play Musical Instruments and dance during the Summer Medleyfaire for event-specific rewards. Explore the full release notes, including various bug fixes, below.

[h3]SUMMER MEDLEYFAIRE[/h3]

• Celebrate Musical Instruments and Fishing when the Summer Medleyfaire returns from June 25 through July 23. Whether you visit a Summer Village for the first time or already raised your reputation with the Medleyfaire Maestro, every seasonal activity is back. Catch new seasonal items like the Maudlinbug Jar Emote and returning rewards such as the Long Swordfish Longsword Skin. You can even frame your favorite fish as housing decorations at Mount-A-Catch stations.
  
• Check out the full reward breakdown here.
  

[h3]NOTABLE FIXES[/h3]

• Fixed a rare issue that prevented object interactions until the inventory or storage shed was opened after leaving the Stylemancer menu.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused players to stop movement when walking on ledges while performing an upper body action.
  

[h3]TRADE SKILLS[/h3]

• Music Research Projects have had their XP values significantly increased to make them more useful.
  
• Fixed an issue that allowed unequipped musical instruments to be used.
  
• Fixed an issue where only RMB could be used to activate LMB+RMB notes in a musical performance when additional uses of Second Chance were available.
  

[h3]COMBAT[/h3]

• Hatchet: Fixed an issue that caused the Hatchet to attack far more quickly than intended.
  
• Updated Gear Score mitigation scaling to reduce the mitigation benefit when playing with low Gear Score items. This new formula scales with the difference in player level so the larger the difference in level, the greater the effect of gear score in the mitigation calculation.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused dodges to drain more stamina than intended.
  

Thanks for your support! We’ll see you in Aeternum.