Fans review-bomb Amazon’s New World after MMO abandoned amid mass layoffs

Amazon’s decision to end support for its once-popular MMORPG New World: Aeternum has sparked widespread backlash, with angry players flooding the game’s Steam page with negative reviews.

The announcement follows confirmation that Amazon Game Studios will no longer release new content for the title as part of broader company layoffs.

The move comes as Amazon cuts around 14,000 employees and shifts focus away from large-scale game development toward artificial intelligence initiatives.

In an update to players, the developer said it was “no longer sustainable to continue supporting New World with new content updates.” While servers will remain active until at least 2026, no new expansions or events are planned.

The reaction from players has been immediate. Over 1,000 new negative reviews have been posted on Steam since the announcement, with fans expressing anger over the abrupt decision.

“Recently started playing, was enjoying it, now it’s being shut down because Amazon being Amazon,” one player wrote. Another commented, “An amazing game that finally got footing and headwind only to be shut down because Amazon wants more AI.”

The timing of the decision has further frustrated fans. The news came just weeks after the release of New World’s Season 10 Nighthaven update, which saw the game briefly peak at over 50,000 concurrent players on Steam.

Both Nighthaven and the required Rise of the Angry Earth expansion have since been made free to all players, but no refunds are being offered to those who recently purchased in-game content.

Although New World is not shutting down immediately, players view the announcement as a sign of the game’s approaching end.

Many see the move as part of a wider corporate strategy prioritising AI development over long-term player support. As one review summed it up: “Was fun, but then Amazon killed it.”