Before the Servers Go Dark: What New World Players Need to Do Now

Before the servers go dark: what New World players need to do now

New World shutdown has a date on the calendar — and if you’ve built a life in Aeternum, the next months are about triage: preserve your memories, secure any refunds or claims you can make, liquidate or document in-game wealth, and create a plan to keep your guild or company together after servers close. This checklist is built for players and leaders who want a clear, prioritized roadmap to act before the end.

Why act now (and what’s at risk)

MMO closures don’t only end gameplay — they erase shared histories, leaderboards, economy records, and player-built content. In 2026 the debate around digital preservation and platform responsibility is louder than ever, and community leaders, archivists and studios are scrambling to keep memories alive. When New World’s final season is extended to reach closure, that extension is an opportunity to archive, claim, and migrate. Miss it, and server-side records, market history and many social structures aren’t coming back.

“Games should never die” — a sentiment echoed across the industry as players react to the announcement.

Top-line checklist (do these first)

1. Save screenshots and video recordings of characters, trophies, territory status, trading post balances, housing, and final guild rosters.
2. Export community data — Discord backups, forum threads, Google Drive copies of guides and spreadsheets.
3. Initiate refund requests where eligible and document purchases for potential consumer-rights claims.
4. Liquidate or consolidate in-game assets according to legal and TOS-safe options.
5. Create migration paths for your social groups: private servers (if legal), other MMOs, or community hubs.

Immediate actions (0–2 weeks): capture everything)

1. Record and export visual proof

Start by making a complete visual archive of your account and your company’s presence. That means:

• Screenshots and video recordings of characters (all appearances and gear), housing interiors/exteriors, territory ownership screens, company bank balances, faction ranks, and trading post listings.
• Video recordings of landmark events — territorial wars, final dungeon clears, major PvP fights — using OBS, ShadowPlay, or similar capture tools. Include timestamps and server names in the video overlay if possible.
• Use Steam’s screenshot manager or Steam’s local screenshot folder to export images with metadata where available. If you’re on the Amazon Games launcher, export via its screenshot tools or a local capture program.

2. Download logs and text records

Server-side logs are not accessible, but you can and should save everything client-side. Capture:

• Chat logs, trade receipts, mailing confirmations and ticket IDs. Copy-and-paste into text files or take screenshots.
• Guild/company announcements, treasury transaction records, and role lists. Export those to CSV or Google Sheets.
• Important support tickets and email correspondence with Amazon Games or platform support. Keep full threads and ticket numbers.

3. Back up community artifacts

Companies, guilds, and servers are more than characters. Preserve the social infrastructure:

• Export Discord channels using server export bots or Discord’s server template and manual logs (be mindful of privacy and consent).
• Download pinned guides, spreadsheets, and recruitment posts from forums and social platforms. Save them to an archival folder (Google Drive, Dropbox, or a self-hosted backup).
• Gather player-made lore, screenshots, and art. Ask members for their favorite moments and consolidate.

Mid-term actions (2–12 weeks): financials, refunds, and asset decisions

4. Check refund eligibility and submit claims

Refunds are governed by the platform you used to buy the game or microtransactions. Policies vary, but this is how to approach it:

• Steam — standard 14-day, 2-hour refund window applies, but you can still file a support ticket if a game becomes unplayable or is discontinued; include purchase receipts and the official shutdown announcement when applicable.
• Amazon Games / Amazon Store — review their digital purchase refund policy and contact customer service with purchase IDs and the shutdown notice attached.
• Microtransaction and cosmetic packs — these are trickier. In many jurisdictions, consumer laws may allow refunds if the primary service has been withdrawn. File with platform support and keep records of each request.
• Document every interaction. Save confirmation numbers and take screenshots of support pages and policy text in effect at time of claim.

5. Liquidate assets safely

You’ll need to decide whether to convert in-game wealth into more portable forms or cash it out. Keep legality and TOS in mind — selling accounts or gold for real money often violates terms and risks bans or scams.

• Use the trading post to sell high-value items and craftable materials that will bring the best end-game currency per hour invested.
• Consolidate wealth into a small number of accounts you control, so you have complete records and access for screenshots and archival purposes.
• Avoid gray markets. Selling accounts or currencies for cash may be tempting, but it brings high fraud risk and often violates Terms of Service.
• Consider buying unique cosmetics, trophies or house decorations if you want tangible in-game items that represent your time. These may have higher sentimental value for community archives.

Final stretch (last month/week): community coordination and migration

6. Communicate a clear plan for your guild or company

Leaders should publish a migration plan with dates and action items. A practical plan will include:

• A timeline for final events, territory surrenders and asset transfers.
• A decision on whether to attempt a private server, move as a group to another live MMO, or disband with an archive.
• Roles assigned for archive managers, event organizers, and tech leads for any migration to private servers or new platforms.

7. Evaluate private servers — pros, cons and legal risk

Interest in private servers rises whenever an MMO announces shutdown. By 2026 we’ve seen more community attempts to preserve games via emulators and private hosting — but legal clarity varies and studios can (and do) issue takedown notices.

• Pros: Potential to preserve gameplay, social structures, and custom rulesets for historical or community use.
• Cons: High legal risk, technical complexity, and potential instability. Private servers may violate IP and Terms of Service.
• If you consider private hosting, consult legal counsel or community preservation groups first. At minimum, document developer policy statements and be transparent with members about risk.

8. Migrate communities to new homes

If a private server isn’t viable, plan group migrations to other MMOs or social platforms. Best practices:

• Create a prioritized shortlist of target MMOs based on playstyle, PVP/PVE balance, and technical accessibility.
• Run trial nights in candidate games to test fit; keep a running pros-and-cons list publicly available to members.
• Set up a permanent community hub — a Discord server, website, or forum — and export member lists, roles and past event recordings there. Consider collaboration tools and team collaboration suites to manage the migration.

Preservation best practices and tools

Game preservation has professional, academic and hobbyist communities that emerged strongly in 2025–2026. Use vetted tools and channels to archive responsibly:

• Archive.org / Wayback Machine: Save guides, ads, and community pages for long-term archival.
• GitHub / private repos: Store spreadsheets, lists and scripts that your company used to manage assets or events.
• Media storage: Use redundant systems — at least two cloud backups and one local hard drive — for screenshots and video captures.
• Documentation: Create a README for your archive: who created it, what’s included, dates, and any legal notes.

Legal and ethical guardrails

As you act, remember four important boundaries:

1. Don’t break the Terms of Service — account sales, automation, and many third-party trades are often violations and put players at risk.
2. Respect privacy — before exporting chat logs or screenshots involving other players, get consent where possible.
3. Record the provenance — keep purchase receipts and ticket IDs if you pursue refunds or consumer claims.
4. Consult experts if you plan private hosting. Legal advice matters; community preservation groups sometimes help with best practices.

Sample timeline you can copy

Use this as a template for company/guild planning. Adjust based on the actual shutdown date and how many active members you have.

1. Week 1–2: Capture screenshots/video, export Discord, collect receipts, publish initial plan.
2. Week 3–6: File refund requests, liquidate non-essential assets, finalize archival structure.
3. Week 7–10: Run farewell events, consolidate leadership roster, finalize migration destinations.
4. Final week: Final screenshots, live stream a farewell, confirm archive integrity, and publish post-closure access instructions.

Example messages for guild leaders

Copy-paste and adapt these for your Discord or forum announcements:

Archive Call: "We’re creating a permanent archive for our company. Please upload screenshots, videos, and any guides you created to the shared Google Drive by [date]. If you have support tickets or purchase receipts, DM them to the officers for safekeeping."

Migration Plan: "Vote on our migration target by Friday. We’ll host two trial nights in [Game A] and [Game B]. If you want to host something else, let an officer know. Export your Discord roles by [date] so we can reassign them on the new server."

What to expect after shutdown

Once servers are offline, most in-game systems (trading posts, territory leaders, leaderboards) will vanish. What remains is the archive and any community continuity you’ve established. In 2026 we’ve seen studios working with archivists in rare cases, but those are exceptions. The safest outcome is that community leaders walk away with a comprehensive archive and a living hub — even if gameplay stops.

Key takeaways

• Act now: Screenshots and videos are the single most valuable artifacts you can collect before the final shutdown.
• Document purchases: Keep receipts and ticket IDs to boost refund claims or consumer protections.
• Be TOS-aware: Avoid account sales and risky workarounds; they create legal and scam exposure.
• Plan the social migration: A preserved community is more valuable than any virtual gold — migrate your people first, assets second.
• Consider legal counsel before attempting private servers; preservation is noble, but it can be legally complex.

How newgame.news will help

We’re tracking community tools, preservation groups, and platform responses as the shutdown date approaches. Expect guides on Discord export tools, legal resources, and migration case studies from groups that successfully moved in 2025–2026.

Final call to action

This is your last window to save the story you built in Aeternum. Start the checklist today: capture screenshots, back up chats, file refund claims, and post your migration plan to your company channels. If you lead a guild or company, set two officers to be archive leads and announce a final schedule — it’s what keeps your community alive beyond the servers.

Need templates or step-by-step help? Join our New World shutdown hub and download checklist templates, archive formatting guides, and migration playbooks tailored for 2026. Preserve the memories, protect your data, and keep your community together.

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