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With its initial release a few years ago on PC, New World promised to be a revolutionary MMO, drawing nearly a million players at launch. Yet, as time passed, it didn’t quite live up to its lofty expectations. Player numbers dwindled from that impressive peak to a steady but much smaller base. However, the last year has been particularly challenging, with a significant content drought that saw its population dip even further. But that drought was not for nothing—it was part of a massive overhaul aimed at giving the game a new lease on life, leading up to the soft relaunch known as New World Aeternum on both PC and consoles.

In this guide, I'll walk you through what you need to know about New World Aeternum, whether you’re returning to Aeternum or diving in for the first time. From understanding the new player archetype system to picking servers and finding your gameplay rhythm, I’ve got you covered.

What's Changed in New World Aeternum?

The most significant change comes with New World Aeternum being ported to consoles for the first time, alongside a refresh for PC. This update includes rebuilt systems, better balancing, and a more refined approach to combat and progression. If you played the original version of New World, you'll find that the re-engineering has enhanced the core experience, making it smoother and more accessible for players across different platforms.

Despite the revamp, the spirit of New World remains the same: a blend of PvP and PvE in a beautifully crafted world with dynamic weather, immersive environments, and a focus on exploration. However, the way you approach the game from the very start has changed significantly, beginning with player archetypes.

Choosing Your Archetype

On character creation, you’ll face a choice of archetype before you design your character's look. If you’re used to traditional fantasy RPGs, you might think of this as choosing a class. But New World doesn’t lock you into a rigid class system. Your gameplay style remains flexible, with your role determined by your gear—two weapons and your armor loadout, which you can change at any time. The archetype selection simply decides your starting gear and gives a boost to specific trade skills.

What Are Trade Skills? There are 17 trade skills in New World (18 if you include the new riding skill), categorized into Gathering, Crafting, and Refining. Your archetype choice will give you a head start, setting three of these skills to level 50. While you can ultimately max out all skills on one character, starting with three at level 50 is a nice boost. However, this decision isn't permanent, so feel free to shift your focus to other skills as you progress.

Early Game: Getting the Basics Right

After choosing your archetype, you'll be guided through the new onboarding missions, which do a solid job of teaching you the essentials—how to manage your inventory, equip gear, and use gathering tools. You'll eventually reach your first town, where the world of Aeternum opens up more fully.

One of the first things you’ll want to focus on is your attributes. As you level up, you can distribute points among five stats that influence your combat style and weapon choices. Hover over each to see the weapon types they benefit and the perks they unlock. You can respec freely in the early game, so don’t hesitate to experiment with different setups until you find one that feels right.

Leveling Up: Questing vs. Trade Skills

When it comes to leveling up quickly, questing is your best bet. Not only does it provide substantial experience points, but it also guides you to important locations, fast travel points, and useful gear drops. For at least the first 30 levels, quest rewards should be sufficient to keep your character well-equipped, so you can save your New World Coins and crafting materials for later.

What About Trade Skills? While trade skills can be rewarding, there's no need to rush to max out any specific one early on. The gear and items you can craft with higher trade skill levels are often locked behind character level thresholds. A balanced approach—mixing questing with some trade skill grinding—will help keep the game fresh and enjoyable.

Gear Management: Choosing the Right Weight Class

One of the more unique aspects of New World is how gear weight affects your gameplay. Unlike many other MMOs, it’s not always best to equip the gear with the highest stats. Instead, pay attention to how armor weight influences your playstyle:

· Heavy Load: Great for tanking, offering significant protection and damage reduction. However, it limits your mobility, making dodging slower and less effective.

· Medium Load: Provides a balanced approach, allowing decent dodging without compromising much on defense or attack.

· Light Load: Perfect for more agile builds, granting faster dodge rolls and a boost to attack damage. But it comes at the cost of lower durability.

While it’s tempting to optimize your build from the start, it’s best to try different setups until you reach higher levels and more challenging content.

Mastering Weapon Skills

Each weapon in New World has its own skill tree, with two branches tailored for different playstyles. Reaching the bottom of a skill tree unlocks a powerful ultimate ability, so focusing on one path can be beneficial. That said, experimentation is key. Try out different combinations to find what suits your combat style before committing to a particular weapon setup.

Keep in mind that New World allows you to respec your skill points at will in the early game, making it easy to change things up without penalties. Later on, focusing on a couple of weapon combinations will serve you better as you approach the more demanding content in Aeternum.

Choosing the Right Server

Server selection is critical for a smooth experience, especially in a game like New World where action-based combat means that ping and lag can greatly affect your gameplay. Always choose a server close to your location for the best performance.

With the relaunch, existing servers are now known as Legacy Worlds, while the new Standard Worlds are where most new and returning players will start. Characters on Standard Worlds can later transfer to Legacy Worlds, but the reverse is not possible. Keep in mind that while Standard Worlds support crossplay between Xbox, PC, and PlayStation, platform-specific servers are also available.

If you’re considering joining a console-exclusive server, be mindful of player population. A crossplay-enabled server will generally have a more active community and ensure a healthier player base over time, making it a better choice for the long haul.

Final Advice: Take It Slow and Enjoy Aeternum

The best advice I can offer for enjoying New World Aeternum is to take your time. Don’t rush to max level. Enjoy the mix of activities—exploring the rich landscapes, working on trade skills, engaging in town missions, and tackling challenging quests. The world of Aeternum is one of its greatest strengths, with atmospheric details that can make even simple activities like gathering wood or mining ore feel immersive and rewarding.

Whether you’re diving into hectic dungeons or simply enjoying the cozy ambiance of a forest while chopping trees, New World Aeternum caters to a wide range of playstyles. Find your rhythm, explore the ever-changing world, and remember: the journey to endgame can often be more rewarding than the destination.

So, whether you’re a veteran of Aeternum or stepping foot on its shores for the first time, there’s plenty to discover and enjoy in New World Aeternum. Happy adventuring, and see you in-game!