New World, Amazon's New MMO, Has Been Delayed

As the spread of Covid-19 continues, many game developers across the world have had to scale back development and acclimate to social distancing. Due to this sudden change, the developers of Amazon Games' upcoming MMO, New World, have revealed that its release has been pushed back to August 25, 2020.

New World was originally set to release in May of this year, which was revealed during The Game Awards last December. In the dev's blog post, game director Scot Lane stated that due to the current circumstances regarding the pandemic, development on the game had been scaled back for health and safety concerns.

"We know you are eagerly anticipating the launch of New World, and we’re excited to share it with you," Lane stated in the blog post. "However, the health and safety of our team is our first priority. We hope you understand our decision to protect our team during these uncertain times while we re-focus on a timeline that will ensure New World is the best possible game it can be."

This statement was continued in an accompanying video message from Lane, explaining that at the current pace, the game would release in a state that the team wasn't comfortable with. Currently, New World is in closed alpha, and the developers stressed that the game would still be playable for current users.

New World is poised to be the largest game that Amazon has published to date, featuring a massive open world to explore with other players online. Set in the land of Aeternum, a high-fantasy take on early colonial North America, you'll play as explorers uncovering the mysteries of the new world, and what happened to its previous inhabitants. In addition to open-world exploration, leveling, and loot to acquire, the MMO also features robust PvP modes, allowing you to take part in large-scale battles with up to 100 players.

New World is one of many games, along with other gaming events, that have seen delays due to the spread of Covid-19. Most recently, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II has been delayed from its May 2020 release to an unspecified date later this year.