You’ve spent hundreds of hours in Aeternum. You’ve heard Captain Thorpe’s gravelly threats and Isabella’s descent into madness. But honestly, most players have no idea who is actually behind the microphones. It’s funny because some of these voices belong to absolute legends in the industry.
The new world cast isn't just a list of names on a scrolling screen that nobody reads. It’s a massive ensemble that helped define the game's atmosphere before the news broke in early 2026 that the game was being delisted. With the servers set to hum until January 31, 2027, there’s a bittersweet feeling to revisiting these performances.
The Voices of the Corrupted
If you’ve played the main story, you know Isabella. She’s the face of the Corrupted, and her voice is basically the soundtrack to your early-game nightmares. That voice belongs to Fryda Wolff.
Fryda isn’t a stranger to big titles; she’s been in everything from Apex Legends to Cyberpunk 2077. In New World, she brings this weirdly sympathetic but terrifying edge to a character that could have just been a generic villain.
Then there’s Captain Thorpe. The guy who sinks your ship. River Vitae (also known as Jon Bailey or "Epic Voice Guy") provides that booming, authoritative presence. It’s a short-lived role in terms of screen time, but it sets the entire tone for the game.
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A Who's Who of Aeternum
The cast list is surprisingly deep. It’s not just a few leads.
- Laura Post voiced Commander Atreus and Captain Lucian. You might recognize her as Yellan from Genshin Impact.
- Kellen Goff, the man of a thousand voices (and the voice of Glamrock Freddy), pops up as Cabalist Crawford and, hilariously, Gristle the Bear.
- Erik Todd Dellums, famously Three Dog from Fallout 3, provides his smooth baritone to Innkeep Nguyen and Master Fisher Abebe.
- Shohreh Aghdashloo reportedly stepped in for late-game narration in the Aeternum update, bringing that iconic, smoky voice to the survival arcs.
Why the New World Cast Still Matters in 2026
Look, the gaming world changed a lot in the last year. Amazon Games announced they were stopping content updates after the Nighthaven season. The game was officially delisted on January 15, 2026.
Does that make the performances less valuable? Kinda the opposite.
For the players still hanging on until the 2027 shutdown, these voices are part of the nostalgia. When you hear Allegra Clark (as Artificer Gomes) or Keith Silverstein (as Magistrate Bond), you aren’t just hearing an NPC. You’re hearing the peak of Amazon’s first big swing at an MMO.
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It’s worth noting that the "Secret Level" anthology series on Prime Video actually gave the New World lore a second life. In the episode The Once and Future King, we even got Arnold Schwarzenegger voicing King Aelstrom and Gabriel Luna as King Zimah. It was a weird, high-budget crossover that most people didn't see coming.
Realism Over Polish
One thing the new world cast did exceptionally well was the "effort" sounds. The grunts, the heavy breathing during a dodge-roll, the scream when you fall off a cliff in Shattered Mountain.
That stuff is recorded in "bark sessions." Actors spend hours just screaming and making physical noises. It sounds easy. It’s actually brutal on the vocal cords.
The Impact of Diversity
Amazon clearly made a push for a global-sounding cast. You have actors like Khoi Dao, Anne Yatco, and Ray Chase bringing different textures to the settlements.
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Instead of everyone sounding like they’re at a Renaissance fair in Ohio, the settlements felt like they were populated by people from all over the world who got shipwrecked. It added a layer of realism that most fantasy games ignore.
What You Should Do Now
If you’re a fan of the work these actors put in, don't just let the game fade away.
- Check out the Secret Level episode: If you haven't seen it, the New World episode is a masterclass in how to translate game lore to animation.
- Back up your memories: Since the game is delisted and servers are on a timer, recording your favorite quest dialogue is the only way to save these performances.
- Follow the actors: Many of these performers, like Joe Zieja or Erika Ishii, are super active on social media and frequently talk about their roles.
Aeternum might be closing its gates next year, but the work of the new world cast remains a high-water mark for voice acting in the MMO genre. It’s a legacy worth listening to one last time before the lights go out.