Facepunch Offers to Buy New World: Arrogance or MMO Rescue?
Amazon Games’ MMO New World Aeternum is set to be shut down in January 2027. The final update has been released, and sales of the game ceased a few days ago. Now, Alistair McFarlane, COO of Facepunch, has made an offer via X to buy the IP for $25 million USD.
New World’s Downfall: From Steam Highs to the End
New World Aeternum is a paid MMO from Amazon Games, released on September 28, 2021, via Steam. At launch, nearly 1 million players were playing simultaneously on Steam, but these numbers dropped continuously. Amazon repeatedly released new content and seasons. At those times, the game saw smaller peaks of 60,000 to 100,000 players, but even these dwindled over time. Now, Amazon has decided to discontinue the game. A few days ago, it was removed from all stores, and the servers will only run until January 2027. However, players are not ready to give up on the game yet, and there is a glimmer of hope.
Why Facepunch’s Offer Matters
That hope lies with Facepunch, the studio behind the survival game Rust. COO Alistair McFarlane posted yesterday on X (formerly Twitter) offering Amazon Games $25 million to buy the game. This offer is hard to take seriously as it seems extremely casual, but even if meant as a joke, it is significant. He also stated that games should never die. Last year, there was a major petition in the EU regarding this topic with over 1 million signatures. Even if this offer is meant symbolically, it could help shift public attention back toward New World.
Amazon Games’ Strategic Retreat
Amazon is currently reducing its focus on large-scale game productions following massive layoffs in recent years. Many projects have been cancelled or restructured, including a Lord of the Rings MMO. New World was one of the few internal titles for a long time, and now it faces its end due to staff reductions. Player numbers have dropped so significantly that it is no longer profitable for Amazon Games to keep the game alive.
Conclusion: Sell or Let It Die?
Facepunch’s offer symbolizes something larger: the desire for a community-driven gaming culture, rather than just commercial control. Facepunch is known for maintaining direct exchanges with the community and adapting without solely focusing on money. However, the question remains whether $25 million is realistic and if Amazon would even entertain any offer. Always compare prices on Allkeyshop to find the best deals.
Hey, I’m Kilian, but online you’ll probably know me as “Tux1243.” I've been part of the team for almost two years now, always trying to keep you in the loop with the latest and coolest gaming news. I also have a huge passion for doing deep dives and detailed analyses of entire game series and franchises. I love getting to the bottom of things and exploring the little details and backstories that make game worlds so fascinating.
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