Welcome to the chaotic and thrilling world of New World: Aeternum Season 8, dubbed Season of the Divide. Launching on May 13, 2025, this season is all about high-stakes challenges, fierce PvP battles, and fresh ways to experience Aeternum. Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or a console player jumping in for the first time, there's something epic waiting. To stay on top of guides like this and gear up for your journey, bookmark our site and swing by our store for the latest New World goodies. Let's break down what Season 8 has in store!
Kicking off the season is the Coral Divide Outpost Rush map, a vibrant, ocean-inspired battleground. With vertical terrain, tactical flank routes, and intense central fort clashes, it demands sharp strategy and teamwork. Having been tested in preview events, it's now fully live, offering daily PvP action before rotating with older maps later in the season. This map is perfect for players craving dynamic, objective-based combat.
The Hardcore Seasonal World is Season 8's bold experiment, launching in early June for a limited time. Here, you start as an “unfallen” character, chasing elite rewards by surviving without dying. One death shifts your status, but don't worry—you'll still unlock plenty of rewards, including artifacts and crafting materials transferable to your main character.
This server accelerates levelling with a streamlined questline and lifts artifact equip limits, letting you wield game-changing gear in every slot. It's ideal for tackling pinnacle content like the Gorgon raid or mutated dungeons, especially for newcomers or console players. The catch? No cross-world matchmaking, ensuring balance. Expect a weekend event vibe—four to six hours can get you to the endgame if you're savvy.
Capture the Flag and PvP Previews
Season 8 introduces Capture the Flag (CTF), a 10v10 PvP mode with two unique maps: a straightforward two-tier bridge and a wider, riskier layout with choke points. Jump pads (manually triggered for strategic control) and power-ups (health, haste, attack) add flair to the fast-paced flag-grabbing chaos. Preview weekends will let players test these maps, so watch for dates on the official Discord.
Additionally, Outpost Rush: Barebones levels the playing field by disabling gear perks and maxing gear scores, perfect for PvP newcomers or veterans proving their skill. A new 3v3 Arena map, set in an overgrown ancient temple, shakes things up with a faster-closing death fog, shifting from ranged to melee dominance mid-match. These previews are short, so jump in to share feedback and shape their future.
Expeditions Unleashed: World Bosses
Expeditions Unleashed brings iconic expedition bosses like Mammoth Mahantaram, Scarab Boss Khepri, and Fire Naga Ifrit into the open world as level 70 world bosses. These limited-time events, running one week per month, let 10–30 players team up for epic fights. Rewards include a guaranteed 725 gear score item per boss and multiple 710+ items, making them a loot bonanza. These events are permanent, not just seasonal, adding a thrilling grind to Aeternum's open world.
Seasonal Events and Faction Fest
Springtide Bloom returns with upgraded rewards, including gear above 700 gear score and seasonal cosmetics. Console players get their first taste, while PC veterans enjoy refreshed loot. Faction Fest encourages expedition runs with faction-based competition and exclusive rewards. Other events like Fury of the Spriggan and XP boost weekends for weapons and gathering keep the season lively.
Barbershop and Customisation
The Barbershop lets you revamp your character's look using tokens earned via gameplay or purchased with Marks of Fortune. Available at every Stylemancer, it's a great way to match your new skins or freshen up. Season Pass players snag a free token, so don't miss out.
New Artifacts and Combat Updates
Seven new artifacts debut, each with unique effects:
Old Crown (Head): +10 to all attributes, enhanced gem slots.
Relentless (Tower Shield): Team armour aura, boosted healing.
Chaos (Blunderbuss): Fiery shots that knock enemies back.
Vampire Vestments (Light Chest): Lifesteal and mana synergy.
Wit (Sword): Threat generation and crit damage mitigation.
Runic Greaves (Heavy Feet): Speed boost post-Heartrune.
Lich Gloves (Light Hands): Stacking ability empowerment.
Combat gets refined with target lock tweaks, reducing aim assist for controller players in PvP to emphasise skill. Locks now break when targets move behind your camera or when aiming down sights, adding counterplay. Five new survival potions (e.g., Burst Regen, Lifesteal) enhance combat flexibility.
Quality-of-Life Upgrades
PvP Camps: Flagged players' tents are now destructible by enemy factions, adding strategy to Influence Races.
Ready Up: Opt-in to skip pre-match phases in arenas (3v3) and Outpost Rush (25 players).
Spectator Cam: Watch teammates after death in arenas and expeditions.
Tech Enhancements: Directx 12 and Nvidia GPU optimizations improve visuals and stability.
Season Pass Rewards
The Free Track offers two artifacts, tool skins, helm skins, dyes, and emotes like Touch Grass. The Premium Track (20,000 Marks of Fortune) adds weapon skins, armor skins, and more dyes.
What's Next?
The living roadmap teases a new weapon (hint: dual-wielded), a new zone, procedural expeditions, gear set bonuses, and global storage. These are in development, so join the Discord for updates and feedback channels.
FAQs About Season 8 – Season of the Divide
When does the Hardcore Seasonal World launch, and how long will it run?
It launches in early June 2025 and runs for a limited time, designed as a short event (4–6 hours to endgame for skilled players).
Can I keep my Hardcore Seasonal World character?
No, characters don't persist, but rewards like artifacts and crafting materials transfer to your main character.
What makes Coral Divide different from other Outpost Rush maps?
Its ocean theme, verticality, and tactical routes emphasize strategic positioning and intense fort battles.
How do I join Capture the Flag or other PvP previews?
Watch for preview weekend dates on the official Discord or website and jump in during the active periods.
Are the world bosses in Expeditions Unleashed permanent?
Yes, they're a permanent feature, appearing one week per month with rotating bosses.
Thanks for Reading
Season 8 – Season of the Divide – is shaping up to be a game-changer for New World: Aeternum, blending high-risk challenges with rewarding content. Keep an eye on MMOJUGG for more guides, tips, and updates as we dive deeper into Aeternum's evolving world. Stay tuned!