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New World is finally up and running in all its 17th-century glory, after suffering several setbacks and delays during its protracted development. Developed and published by Amazon Games, the MMORPG is the tech giant's second stab at a triple-A live-service game, following Crucible's failure to strike a chord with its intended audience. But it would appear that New World is off to a way better start, with news of servers even struggling to keep up with its ballooning player count during its launch.

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And as more and more players jump into its adventure to explore its open world and soak up its lore, many of them would no doubt like to gain a greater understanding of its story and plot. But playing the game quickly reveals that its story can feel pretty barebones at times. Being a live-service game though (and one still in its relative infancy for that matter) that story is only set to grow and evolve with time. This is everything we know thus far.

The Premise

A screenshot showing Aeternum in New World

The game is set during the 17th century on the fictional island of Aeternum. Located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the island is home to a powerful resource known as Azoth. It is believed that Azoth is the source of eternal life and that it can be used to greatly enhance anything it comes into contact with. Many adventurers are lured to Aeternum under the promise of limitless treasure.

You play as one such adventurer, a pirate on the crew of a ship whose captain is venturing to the island despite the warnings of a mysterious robed figure who provides them with its coordinates, along with a mysterious glowing box. On your way to the island, your ship gets caught in a storm which results in it getting shipwrecked.

Waking Up On Aeternum

A screenshot showing Captain Thorpe corrupted in New World

You wake up on the shores of the island only to be immediately attacked by a feral man. Defeating the man, you discover your Captain dying nearby from injuries sustained during the wreck. He asks about the whereabouts of the mysterious box before finally succumbing to his wounds. Afterward, you have to fight your way through legions of "the soulless Drowned," before encountering your Captain once again, this time resurrected with supernatural abilities.

The basic gist is that the Azoth on Aeternum has the power to resurrect anyone or anything that dies on the island, causing them to be reborn in their purest form. So if an evil person is resurrected, they'll come back even more so, and vice versa. The captain, being fueled by greed as he was, returns with malevolent powers. He is eventually defeated after which the player makes it to a beach where their adventure on Aeternum begins in earnest. Thereafter, they are free to forge their path through the game, learning more about Aeternum along the way.

The Ancients

A screenshot showing four players standing in front of the shattered obelisk in New World

All over Aeternum, there's evidence of an ancient civilization that once thrived on the island long before the first humans settled there. They are referred to as the Ancients, a race so advanced that they were able to harness Azoth to advance their civilization. But their continued use of the mineral would result in their eventual downfall.

Evidence points to the fact that they'd been involved in an ancient conflict, even though it is unclear whether they were all slain or managed to flee Aeternum. All that remains of their race is the soulless magical warriors who guard some of their ruined monuments. These guardians were humans transformed by the magic of Azoth who are now forever enslaved to the purpose given to them.

At the heart of Aeternum lies Everfall, and in it is one of the Ancient's most prominent monuments, the shattered obelisk. It is believed to hold the secrets to their technology, as well as the purpose behind the towers that can be found all over the island.

Corruption

A screenshot showing some players fighting a monster in New World

During their experiments with Azoth, the ancients had unleashed a force known as Corruption. Corruption is drawn to anyone exhibiting vices like anger or greed, and it can invade their bodies with the intent of spreading its malevolent influence. It is also able to invade the bodies of wild animals and beasts, bending them to its will.

Those who have been corrupted have a visible red glow in their eyes and around their bodies. The Corrupted are led by an evil empress that seeks to corrupt the whole of Aeternum.

Factions In Aeternum

A screenshot showing two players dueling in New World

There are a total of three warring factions on Aeternum: the Covenant, the Marauders, and the Syndicate.

  • The Covenant is described as "a divine order charged with cleansing the land of heretics and defilers so that its true holy nature and justice can be restored."
  • The Marauders are "a ruthless military force hellbent on establishing a free nation where anyone with the strength to do so can prosper and profit."
  • While the Syndicate is "a secretive organization of boundless guile and intellect in search of forbidden knowledge to usher in a new age of enlightenment."

The player can align with any of the three factions, who fight over territory and resources, but must also defend these against the forces of the Corruption when the need arises.

NEXT: New World: Complete Guide And Walkthrough