guidesnew worldmmos

What New World's End Means for Players — Salvage, Transfers, and Memories

ttopgames

2026-01-25 12:00:00

10 min read

Actionable New World shutdown guide: archive screenshots, salvage loot, transfer players, and preserve guilds before servers close.

What New World's End Means for Players — A Practical Shutdown Guide

Facing a server sunset is one of the worst feelings for MMO players: years of progress, friends, screenshots and rare loot at risk. With Amazon announcing New World's sunsetting window in early 2026 and the community given a finite timeline, this guide gives you a concrete, prioritized plan to archive memories, salvage what you can, and preserve your community long after the servers go dark.

"Games should never die." — reaction across the community after Amazon's January 2026 announcement (source: Kotaku)

How to use this guide

This is not theory. It's a tactical checklist built around real player needs in 2026: efficient timelines, simple tools (Windows/Steam/OBS/Discord), and community-level steps that actually work when you have limited time. Follow the timeline sections first, then pick the archiving and community-preservation methods that match your role (player, guild leader, server admin).

Immediate timeline: What to do right now (Day 0–14)

When a sunset is announced, time is your scarcest resource. Prioritize tasks that are irreversible: take screenshots of value, export player/guild lists, secure rare items, and communicate. Do these first.

1. Lock down communication

Create a single “legacy hub” — a Discord server, Slack workspace, or private forum where guildmates and server communities converge. Post the timeline, schedules, and next steps there.
Export contact lists — copy your Steam friends, in-game friends, and guild rosters into a text/CSV file. This is essential for future invitations when migrating to other games or private projects.
Make a message template to ping all members with instructions and deadlines (sample template is further down).

2. Archive critical data and proof of ownership

Take screenshots of your inventory, bank, house deeds, trophies, and character sheets. Prioritize anything with sentimental or perceived monetary value (rare skins, named weapons, iconic housing setups).
Record short video tours — 2–4 minute POV walkthroughs of your house, gear, and guild halls. Use OBS (recommended settings below) or your console/PC capture tool so you have smooth, long-term friendly files.
Save transaction logs — screenshot or copy marketplace/trading-post histories, auction receipts, and transfer mail logs. These can prove provenance later.

3. Consolidate valuables

Assume the worst: bound items may become inaccessible and trading systems may be disabled before shutdown. If you can transfer across characters or servers, consolidate your rare items into a single "archive account" or secure house chest.

60–90 days out: Organize and export

Once immediate triage is done, move into methodical backups and community preservation. This is the window to build archives and delegate tasks.

1. Bulk export screenshots and recordings

Different capture tools store files in different places. Use these steps to gather everything into one place.

Steam screenshots: Open Steam > View > Screenshots > Show on Disk. Copy the folder to external storage or cloud (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox).
Amazon Games / non-Steam: Use Print Screen or Windows Game Bar (Win+G) to capture. Check Documents, Videos, or Pictures for saved captures and consolidate them.
NVIDIA/AMD captures: GeForce Experience (Alt+Z) shows recorded clips/screenshots; AMD's Radeon Software does similar. Export via the UI and copy to your archive folder.
PowerShell bulk copy: If you have many files, use Get-ChildItem and Copy-Item to batch-copy screenshots to a dedicated archive drive.

2. Record and compress gameplay videos

Long-form videos provide context for screenshots and are easier for future viewers. Recommended OBS settings (2026-friendly):

Format: MKV or MP4 (MKV then remux to MP4 in OBS for safety)
Encoder: NVENC (if available) or x264
Bitrate: 10,000–20,000 kbps for 1080p60; 25,000–50,000 for 1440p
Use scene collections: House Tour, Inventory Tour, Raid Highlights

Compress long files with HandBrake using a target bitrate or constant quality (RF 20–22) to balance quality and size. If you need recommendations on affordable capture and editing kits, check field reviews of budget vlogging and capture gear that are purpose-built for creators.

3. Export chat and forum history

Discord: Use an approved backup tool or a bot that exports channels and pinned messages to JSON or HTML. Make sure you have admin permission before running exports.
In-game chat: Screenshot critical pinned announcements, officer logs, and council meeting notes. Copy paste major decisions into a single document for posterity.
Forums & Reddit: Archive important threads using the Wayback Machine or save pages to PDF/HTML. If you're preserving marketplace/trading-post histories for provenance, see hands-on reviews of player-driven economy systems for context on valuation and provenance.

30 days out: Community preservation and migration planning

This is when your guild and server community needs clear direction. If you're a leader, delegate roles and lock in migration choices.

1. Create a guild legacy package

Roster CSV: Export member names, roles, join dates, and contact handles (Discord/Steam). This becomes the single source of truth for future guild re-creations.
Officer logs: Summarize major guild milestones: biggest raids, house owners, major donations, tournament results.
Media folder: Organize screenshots and videos into meaningful folders (Raids, Housing, Social, PvP).
Make an oral history: Record 20–30 minute interviews with officers and founders. These make compelling archives.

2. Decide where you’ll go next

Organize votes and surveys in the legacy hub. Popular strategies in 2026 include:

Migrating the guild to another active MMO and opening an "ex-New World" chapter
Keeping the community in a social-first space (Discord + regular events) and playing a rotation of games
Creating a static legacy site (GitHub Pages, Fandom, or a simple hosted site) to host archives and stories — and use product- and creator-focused playbooks if you plan to showcase media or member portfolios on that site.

Last week and last day: Final salvage & priorities

These are the final, non-reversible actions. Make them count.

1. Final screenshot sweep

Do a final 2–3 hour sweep with a checklist: character sheet, highest-stat gear, rare cosmetics, house interiors, mount/vehicle (if any), guild chest contents, guild hall flags, and trophy panels.
Ask trusted guild members to do the same and tag images with dates and captions in a shared folder.

2. Secure sentimental items

If there are items that can't be moved, prioritize capturing them thoroughly. If your guild has housing displays, take panoramic shots and short video walkthroughs. If you own house deeds make sure they're captured and saved in multiple locations.

3. Final communications

Announce final events (last raid, final social, screenshot day) and pin them in your legacy hub.
Provide migration details and next steps for members who want to stay connected.

What actually transfers? A realistic inventory of movable things

Every game handles assets differently. In most shutdowns, account-level data (profiles, screenshots you saved locally) is yours, while server-side, in-game items and houses are subject to the operator's policies. Here’s how to think about specific categories:

Cosmetics & Account Items

Cosmetics that are client-side (saved as images or locally cached files) can be archived. Account-wide cosmetics that live in Amazon’s backend will likely be inaccessible after shutdown unless the company offers an export.

Rare Gear, Currency, and Housing

Treat all server-side valuables as ephemeral. If the game allows transfers between servers or characters, use that system while it exists. Otherwise, document provenance with screenshots and market logs — provenance is increasingly important in secondary markets, including emerging fractional-ownership models for collectibles.

Guild Structures & Titles

Guild names, titles, and structures rarely exist outside the live game. Preserve them by exporting rosters, officer logs, and screenshots of guild halls and banners.

Archiving communities: tools and best practices

Preserving a community is about data and relationships. Combine technical backups with social workflows.

Technical tools

Cloud storage: OneDrive, Google Drive, or a paid S3 bucket for large archives. For long-term options and hybrid strategies, read up on edge and small‑SaaS storage choices.
Version control: Use GitHub or GitLab for text-based archives (rosters, event logs, minutes).
Static sites: GitHub Pages or Netlify to host a browsable legacy site with galleries and histories — combine hosting with simple product/creator playbooks if you want a polished presentation.
Chat exports: Use approved exporter tools for Discord and keep JSON/HTML copies; audit-ready text pipelines and provenance workflows are useful here.

Organizational best practices

Define roles: Assign archivist(s), media manager(s), and community manager(s).
Standardize filenames: YYYY-MM-DD_server_character_event.jpg — makes searching years later trivial.
Back up redundantly: Two cloud copies + one local external drive is a minimum.
Document provenance: For every high-value item or trophy, record who, when, and how it was obtained.

Guild leader playbook: keep the crew together

Leaders hold a lot of social capital. Use it to turn fear into a plan.

Actionable steps for leaders

Set up the legacy hub and pin a clear timeline and migration poll.
Export the roster and contact info; get consent to store personal handles.
Host weekly "legacy nights" (screenshot drives, best-of-video contests, storytelling sessions).
Make a migration shortlist of 2–3 games and pitch the community with dates for trial nights.
Preserve leadership knowledge: store build guides, crafting recipes, and strategy notes in a wiki.

Legal and ethical considerations

Respect privacy and terms of service:

Ask permission before archiving or publishing other players' chat logs or personal info.
Check the game's Terms of Service for restrictions on redistributing assets or game files.
Use Creative Commons labels for community archives to set clear reuse rules.

Future options: legacy servers, private hosts, and petitions

Since 2025 the industry has trended toward more transparent sunsetting policies and, in a few cases, community-supported legacy servers. Your options if you want to keep a playable version include:

Petitioning the publisher for a legacy or reduced-cost maintenance tier (collect signatures, show community support, propose cost-sharing).
Community-run initiatives — private servers are legally and technically risky, but some communities explore fan projects. Consult legal counsel before pursuing.
Preserve interactivity by hosting “reunion” events with recorded multiplayer sessions or by building a MUD-like tribute that celebrates mechanics, not reproducing proprietary code. See practical playbooks on hosting streaming mini-events for ideas on structure and scheduling.

Sample timeline checklist (printable)

Day 0–14: Create legacy hub, export rosters, take priority screenshots, record quick videos.
Day 15–60: Bulk export media, compress video, archive chat, assign archivists.
Day 61–120: Organize guild legacy package, vote migration plan, host community events.
Last 30 days: Final sweeps, secure sentimental items, finalize archives and backups.

Quick technical cheatsheet

Steam: View > Screenshots > Show on Disk → copy
Windows Game Bar: Win+G → Capture → show file in folder
OBS: Record in MKV → remux to MP4, NVENC encoder for lower CPU load
Discord: Use an approved exporter or bot; export pinned posts and server overview
Backup: 2 cloud copies + 1 external SSD (preferably encrypted)

Sample guild message (copy/paste)

Hey team — New World is entering its shutdown window. We have a plan: join the "NW Legacy Hub" on Discord, export your screenshots/videos this weekend, and fill the roster CSV with your contact info. We’ll host three legacy nights (dates) and vote on a migration target. If you want to help archive media, DM OfficerName. Let’s preserve what we built. — Guild Leader

Why this matters in 2026: trends and what we’ve seen

Late 2025 and early 2026 marked a shift in how publishers handle live-service endings: more lead time, clearer export tools, and an industry conversation about preserving cultural value. Communities are increasingly being treated as stakeholders — and that means your archival work matters for gaming history, research, and simply keeping friendships alive.

Final takeaways — what to do next

Start today: Create your legacy hub and take your first 20 screenshots now.
Delegate: Give two people specific tasks — media archive and roster export.
Back up redundantly: Two cloud copies + one local drive is non-negotiable.
Preserve relationships: Tactics matter, but community continuity is the most valuable legacy.

New World's sunset is a loss, but it’s also an opportunity to be deliberate. With the right checklist and a few hours of focused work, you can preserve memories, transfer what’s movable, and keep your guild’s social fabric intact for whatever comes next.

Call to action

Don’t wait. Start your archive today: create that legacy hub, export one screenshot folder, and DM two guild officers to split the workload. If you want a downloadable, printer-ready MMO shutdown checklist and copyable templates (roster CSV, message template, archival file structure), sign up for our New World Legacy Pack on topgames.website or join our community thread for step-by-step help.

topgames

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.

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