diff --git a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
index 47cd01a80..8a02c855a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@ OMW::Engine::Engine(Files::ConfigurationManager& configurationManager)
   : mOgre (0)
   , mFpsLevel(0)
   , mVerboseScripts (false)
-  , mNewGame (false)
   , mSkipMenu (false)
   , mUseSound (true)
   , mCompileAll (false)
@@ -278,11 +277,6 @@ void OMW::Engine::setScriptsVerbosity(bool scriptsVerbosity)
     mVerboseScripts = scriptsVerbosity;
 }
 
-void OMW::Engine::setNewGame(bool newGame)
-{
-    mNewGame = newGame;
-}
-
 void OMW::Engine::setSkipMenu (bool skipMenu)
 {
     mSkipMenu = skipMenu;
@@ -395,10 +389,6 @@ void OMW::Engine::prepareEngine (Settings::Manager & settings)
     input->setPlayer(&mEnvironment.getWorld()->getPlayer());
 
     window->initUI();
-    if (mNewGame)
-        // still redundant work here: recreate CharacterCreation(),
-        // double update visibility etc.
-        window->setNewGame(true);
     window->renderWorldMap();
 
     //Load translation data
@@ -430,22 +420,17 @@ void OMW::Engine::prepareEngine (Settings::Manager & settings)
     mechanics->buildPlayer();
     window->updatePlayer();
 
-    if (!mNewGame)
-    {
-        // load cell
-        ESM::Position pos;
-        MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
+    // load cell
+    ESM::Position pos;
+    MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
 
-        if (world->findExteriorPosition(mCellName, pos)) {
-            world->changeToExteriorCell (pos);
-        }
-        else {
-            world->findInteriorPosition(mCellName, pos);
-            world->changeToInteriorCell (mCellName, pos);
-        }
+    if (world->findExteriorPosition(mCellName, pos)) {
+        world->changeToExteriorCell (pos);
+    }
+    else {
+        world->findInteriorPosition(mCellName, pos);
+        world->changeToInteriorCell (mCellName, pos);
     }
-    else
-        mEnvironment.getWorld()->startNewGame();
 
     Ogre::FrameEvent event;
     event.timeSinceLastEvent = 0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/engine.hpp b/apps/openmw/engine.hpp
index 72d2041b8..02fb73705 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/engine.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/engine.hpp
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ namespace OMW
             std::vector<std::string> mContentFiles;
             int mFpsLevel;
             bool mVerboseScripts;
-            bool mNewGame;
             bool mSkipMenu;
             bool mUseSound;
             bool mCompileAll;
@@ -150,9 +149,6 @@ namespace OMW
             /// Disable or enable all sounds
             void setSoundUsage(bool soundUsage);
 
-            /// Start as a new game.
-            void setNewGame(bool newGame);
-
             void setSkipMenu (bool skipMenu);
 
             /// Initialise and enter main loop.
diff --git a/apps/openmw/main.cpp b/apps/openmw/main.cpp
index 8c6bdf8a6..2bdfb91c3 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/main.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/main.cpp
@@ -131,9 +131,6 @@ bool parseOptions (int argc, char** argv, OMW::Engine& engine, Files::Configurat
         ("script-run", bpo::value<std::string>()->default_value(""),
             "select a file containing a list of console commands that is executed on startup")
 
-        ("new-game", bpo::value<bool>()->implicit_value(true)
-            ->default_value(false), "activate char gen/new game mechanics")
-
         ("skip-menu", bpo::value<bool>()->implicit_value(true)
             ->default_value(false), "skip main menu on game startup")
 
@@ -225,7 +222,6 @@ bool parseOptions (int argc, char** argv, OMW::Engine& engine, Files::Configurat
 
     // startup-settings
     engine.setCell(variables["start"].as<std::string>());
-    engine.setNewGame(variables["new-game"].as<bool>());
     engine.setSkipMenu (variables["skip-menu"].as<bool>());
 
     // other settings