New World: Closed Beta, Release Date, Cost & more

New world closed beta
Amazon's New MMO is playable now! | © Amazon

New World has already exploded on Twitch and it is only in closed beta. Everyone is playing it, so is this a soon-to-be smash hit MMO? We look at how to join the New World closed beta, the official release date, and the cost.

New World is not new news by any means, and fans following the game are already playing inthe closed beta that launched on July 20.

However, the game has not been free from drama during its very long development. The first fiasco was over the racist imagery of Native Americans that was promptly, and correctly so, taken out of the game.

The other piece of New World drama surrounding was the unwelcomed surprise of character boosts, crafting boosts, and a full-on cosmetic cash shop that was implemented pretty late in the Alpha. What's the problem with cash shops? Well, cash shops usually mean that all the cool skins are sold for cash and the in-game rewards are often look boring. Character boosts are much, much, worse in MMOs and are pretty close to pay-to-win. Boosts allow you to generate a lot of in-game value by allowing you to spend more time doing max-level content. Well, character boosts do not directly translate into player power, it does mean you can spend more time at max level getting better gear while non-boosters are still chopping down trees and fighting boars in the forest.

Nevertheless, this has not stopped New World from hitting over 150k+ views on Twitch, indicating that MMO players are so hungry for a new MMO they are willing to put up with a cash shop even after they paid full price for the game. That's right, New World is not free to play!

How Do You Join the New World Closed Beta?

There are two ways to gain access to the New World closed beta:

  • The first method to join the beta is to get a beta key by pre-ordering New World through either Amazon or Steam. Reports have said that it could take up to 48-hours after the purchase is complete to receive your beat key.
  • The other, less effective way to acquire a beta key for the New World closed beta is to sign up through the game’s official website and pray you are randomly selected to join the beta. This option doesn’t require you to purchase the game, but the chances are very slim you'll get access to it.

How Long Does the New World Closed Beta Last?

The New World closed beta will last for only two weeks and ends on Aug. 3 at 2:00 am PDT. At this point, your account will be wiped of all progress and sit on standby for the game's official release.

When Will New World Officially Release?

For those of you who dislike betas and pre-orders, and rather wait for a full proper release, New World releases worldwide on August 31, 2021.

How much Does New World Cost?

You can purchase it from both Amazon or Steam and its costs $39.99 for the Standard Edition. If you want the Deluxe Edition, it costs $49.99 and comes with a bunch of in-game cosmetics.

The Deluxe Edition Includes:

  • Woodsman armor skin
  • Woodsman hatchet skin
  • Mastiff house pet at level 20 in-game
  • Rock/Paper/Scissors emotes
  • New World digital art book

Pre-order Bonus Content:

  • Closed Beta access
  • Isabella’s amulet item which allows you to deal more damage to supernatural enemies and gives more constitution
  • Unique title “Expedition One”
  • Fist Bump emote
  • Guild crest set featuring axes, muskets, and armor.

New World looks amazing, the action-combat reminds us of Dark Souls, and the item crafting/weapons systems are enjoyable, but let’s see if the PVE and PVP content holds up to the hype. Many things can go right or wrong for an MMO, and it is still unclear if New World will rise to the same level as WoW or Final Fantasy.

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Paul Hayes

I did my BA in English Lit. and Language Studies at Western University in Canada and I use to play MTG competitively, but sadly to no success so I write instead! If a game doesn't challenge me, it's not the...