How to access New World open beta: release date, system requirements, how to join

One of the most anticipated releases of 2021, New World — Amazon Games’ foray into the MMORPG genre — is giving players a chance to jump into the world of Aeternum a bit early via an Open Beta test. Here’s how you can participate.

Despite a delay that’s dragged on for more than a year, and harsh criticism from the community after the previous closed beta, plenty of players are still excited about the release of New World — what has become the crown jewel of Amazon Games.

While the MMORPG isn’t slated for a full release until September 28, players will have a chance to jump back into the exciting and unexplored fantasy world of Aeternum a bit early during a scheduled Open Beta test being held by the developer.

This testing session is already set in stone, and will briefly be available to everyone ahead of the game’s release. Here’s everything you need to know about getting into New World’s Open Beta.

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Contents

• New World Open Beta dates and platforms
• How to access New World Open Beta
• New World system requirements for PC
• How to pre-order New World

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New World Open Beta dates and platforms

The New World closed beta will begin on September 9, 2021, at 7 AM PT / 3 PM BST, running through until September 12, 2021, at 11:59 PM PT / 07:59 AM BST.

Amazon’s MMO experience will be PC-only (as most veterans of the genre already expected) and will be playable via Steam (although you can purchase Steam keys directly from Amazon, so it might be time to break out any gift cards you have lying about).

• Read More: What is New World? The MMO taking over Twitch

Servers will available for players in North America, Europe, Australia, and South America, so if you reside in one of those geographic areas, you’ll be able to jump into the Open Beta once you secure access.

How to access New World Open Beta

To access the MMO Open Beta, you’ll need to wait until the day before the event starts, September 8, 2021, at 7 AM PT / 3 PM BST, and then request access by heading to the official New World Steam page where an option to join in will appear.

• Read More: Best MMORPGs and MMOs in 2021

The server capacity for players will also be much higher than that of the previous Closed Beta, but Amazon Games states that players may experience queues.

 

Here’s what you’ll need to run New World on your PC. The New World Open Beta on PC will not involve Steam keys. Instead, players will be encouraged to use a new feature called Steam Playtest. Access can be requested from Steam when the Beta goes live. 

To request access players need to follow these instructions:

1. Open Steam
2. Go to the New World store page
3. Scroll down to “Join the New World Open Beta Playtest”
4. Click “Request Access”

Players should then receive an email on September 9 with further instructions on how to download and play the Open Beta. 

For more information, see the games official Twitter page:

New World system requirements for PC

Before signing up as a New World tester, or pre-purchasing a copy of the game, you’ll want to make sure your hardware stacks up to the MMO’s minimum system requirements. These are all the components you’ll need to run New World’s beta (and the full game) on your PC:

Minimum System Requirements

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows® 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-2400 / AMD CPU with 4 physical cores @ 3Ghz
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 670 2GB / AMD Radeon R9 280 or better
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 35 GB available space
• Additional Notes: Internet connection required to play, offers in-game purchases

Recommended System Requirements

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows® 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-2600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1400
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 390X or better
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 35 GB available space
• Additional Notes: Internet connection required to play, offers in-game purchases

Thankfully, you don’t need a top-of-the-line PC in order to meet even the recommended system requirements for New World, so if your machine is a few years old, or just not that powerful, you should (hopefully) be able to run the game without issue.

How to pre-order New World

To pre-order New World, head to the game’s pre-order page, where you can purchase the Standard Edition for $39.99 / £34.99, or the Deluxe Edition for $49.99 / £43.99.

Pre-orders are also available on the Steam and Amazon stores.

That’s everything you need to know about reserving a spot in New World’s Open Beta and whether or not your system can run the game. This will be your last chance to experience Aeternum before New World’s full release, so make sure to jump in before the beta ends on September 12.

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Make sure to check out all of our guides and tips covering all things New World below:

What is New World? | How to get Waning Crescent Fire Staff | Life Staff Mastery tree guide | Sword and Shield mastery tree guide | How to become an AoE Ice Mage | Which faction should you choose? | Fishing guide | How to get Fiber and Linen in New World