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Yes. Jeff Bezos called Amazon Games’ New World a success on October 1, 2021, days after its launch. That was a judgment about the game at that point—not proof of long-term player retention or financial success. Contemporary coverage found the launch had attracted a huge audience, but said it was too early to tell whether enough players would stay for the endgame. Later, Amazon ended new content support and scheduled the game’s servers to shut down in 2027.
What did Bezos say about New World?
In a post quoted by GeekWire on October 1, 2021, Bezos wrote: “After many failures and setbacks in gaming we have a success. So proud of the team for the persistence. View setbacks as helpful obstacles that drive learning. Whatever your goals are, don’t give up no matter how hard it gets.”
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Star Trek: New Worlds - PC | $19.03 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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1503 A.D. The New World - PC | $9.26 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The World Game - Fun Geography Board Game - Educational Game for Kids & Adults - Cool Learning Gift... | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Sid Meier's Civilization V: Brave New World | $16.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - PC | $43.93 | Buy on Amazon |
Bezos was then Amazon’s founder and executive chairman. His post did not define “success” by revenue, profit, retention, or a particular time period. GeekWire’s headline made that distinction explicit: Bezos had called the game a success, but it was too early to determine whether the launch would translate into a durable outcome.
What the launch numbers do—and don’t—show
The figures reported at launch point to substantial initial activity. They measure players online at particular times or viewing activity, not total sales, unique purchasers, or how many people stayed over the long term.
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- An advanced 3D engine takes you right into the action on the planet's surface with a fully rotatable and zoomable landscape
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| Measure | Reported figure | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Steam concurrent players on launch day, September 28, 2021 | 707,230 peak players, reported by GeekWire in 2021 | Players online simultaneously at the reported peak—not total purchasers or lifetime players. |
| Steam concurrent players by Friday morning, October 1, 2021 | Nearly 800,000 simultaneous players, reported by GeekWire citing SteamDB in 2021 | A time-specific activity count, not a retention rate. |
| Twitch viewership on the first day | 34 million hours watched and a peak of more than 980,000 concurrent viewers, attributed by GeekWire to SullyGnome | Viewing activity, not sales or player counts. |
| Closed-preview activity | Hundreds of thousands of players and millions of total hours played, described by Amazon in its Q2 2021 shareholder letter | Preview activity before launch; Amazon also called the game one of Twitch’s most-watched during the closed preview. |
The concurrent-player and viewership figures are different kinds of measures, and the closed-preview figures describe a separate period. None establishes how many players returned later or what the game earned.
Why launch success was not the same as lasting success
New World is an MMORPG, so its ongoing appeal depends in part on a population large enough to support shared play and endgame activity. In his October 1 analysis, GeekWire’s Thomas Wilde said the game had not been out long enough to know whether the launch warranted “a celebration or a burial.” His key uncertainty was whether enough players would remain for an active endgame after the initial rush. That was a contemporary assessment, not a measured retention result.
Rank #2
- Software (boxed)
So the evidence supports a narrow conclusion: New World drew exceptional attention around launch. It does not establish the share of players who stayed, long-run activity, revenue, development costs, or lifetime profit. No cited source reports audited lifetime sales, revenue, costs, or profitability, so calling the game a financial success—or failure—requires evidence beyond these launch figures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened to New World later?
Amazon ended new content support
In an official update dated October 28, 2025, Amazon Game Studios said that after four years of content updates and a console release, continuing to support the game with new content was no longer sustainable. The studio identified Season 10 and the Nighthaven update as the final content release. It said servers would remain live through 2026 while the team continued to keep the game running smoothly.
Rank #3
- Race Around the World - Move across the map, pass famous landmarks and use country facts to reach the finish first; a 40-minute family game for ages 9+
- Learning Geography Naturally - Practice flags of the world, capitals, continents and map locations while playing; made for beginners, geography fans and mixed-knowledge groups
- 194 Countries of the World Included - Country card shows flag, capital, area, population, GDP per capita, highest point and neighboring countries; 26 action cards add twists
- Easy to Start, Fun to Replay - Simple rules and adjustable challenges help kids, teens and adults play together without expert knowledge - one of those games that grows with players
- Complete Board Game Set - Includes world map board, 194 country cards, 26 action cards, 7 pawns and dice; for family nights, classrooms, trivia, flash cards and gifts for boys and girls
The scheduled shutdown is January 31, 2027
Amazon Game Studios’ January 15, 2026 announcement said New World: Aeternum had been delisted and would be taken offline on all platforms on January 31, 2027. Existing purchasers can continue playing until shutdown and can reinstall the game. In-game purchases are scheduled to stop on July 20, 2026. As of October 8, 2026, the server shutdown remains a future event.
Those decisions show that Amazon eventually stopped funding new content and set an end date for the service. They add context to the game’s full trajectory, but they do not establish what Bezos meant by “success” in 2021 or provide a financial accounting of the game.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Skyrim reimagines the open-world fantasy epic, pushing the game play and technology of a virtual world to new heights
- Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling
- Skyrim's new game engine brings to life a complete virtual world with rolling clouds, rugged mountains, bustling cities, lush fields
- Choose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities; the new character system allows you to play any way you want
- Requires internet connection and free steam account to activate
Rank #4
- Civilization V New World PC
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