diff --git a/Server/src/main/core/ServerConstants.kt b/Server/src/main/core/ServerConstants.kt
index 4899816b2..2307a894a 100644
--- a/Server/src/main/core/ServerConstants.kt
+++ b/Server/src/main/core/ServerConstants.kt
@@ -308,5 +308,8 @@ class ServerConstants {
 
         @JvmField
         var BETTER_DFS = true
+
+        @JvmField
+        var NEW_PLAYER_ANNOUNCEMENT = true
     }
 }
diff --git a/Server/src/main/core/game/system/command/sets/MiscCommandSet.kt b/Server/src/main/core/game/system/command/sets/MiscCommandSet.kt
index 08fd55539..6fe1a1b93 100644
--- a/Server/src/main/core/game/system/command/sets/MiscCommandSet.kt
+++ b/Server/src/main/core/game/system/command/sets/MiscCommandSet.kt
@@ -578,6 +578,7 @@ class MiscCommandSet : CommandSet(Privilege.ADMIN){
                 sendDialogue(player, "Thank you!")
                 player.unlock()
                 player.removeAttribute("rules:pin")
+                if(ServerConstants.NEW_PLAYER_ANNOUNCEMENT) sendNews("A new player has joined. Welcome ${player.username}!")
             }
             else
             {
diff --git a/Server/src/main/core/game/system/config/ServerConfigParser.kt b/Server/src/main/core/game/system/config/ServerConfigParser.kt
index 9d24882a8..8f8367292 100644
--- a/Server/src/main/core/game/system/config/ServerConfigParser.kt
+++ b/Server/src/main/core/game/system/config/ServerConfigParser.kt
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ object ServerConfigParser {
         ServerConstants.GRAFANA_LOGGING = data.getBoolean("integrations.grafana_logging", false)
         ServerConstants.GRAFANA_TTL_DAYS = data.getLong("integrations.grafana_log_ttl_days", 7L).toInt()
         ServerConstants.BETTER_DFS = data.getBoolean("world.better_dfs", true)
+        ServerConstants.NEW_PLAYER_ANNOUNCEMENT = data.getBoolean("world.new_player_announcement", true)
 
         val logLevel = data.getString("server.log_level", "VERBOSE").uppercase()
         ServerConstants.LOG_LEVEL = parseEnumEntry<LogLevel>(logLevel) ?: LogLevel.VERBOSE
diff --git a/Server/worldprops/default.conf b/Server/worldprops/default.conf
index f94c0649d..5d6ef149e 100644
--- a/Server/worldprops/default.conf
+++ b/Server/worldprops/default.conf
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ i_want_to_cheat = false
 better_agility_pyramid_gp = true
 #better dragonfire shield attack (30 second cooldown instead of 2 minutes)
 better_dfs = true
+#new player announcement
+new_player_announcement = true
 
 [paths]
 #path to the data folder, which contains the cache subfolder and such