Amazon Retreats from Massive Multiplayer Gaming Market

Control of Throne and Liberty will shift to FirstSpark Games and NC in the fourth quarter of 2026, while Smilegate assumes management of Lost Ark by early 2027. This move follows the October decision to curtail development on New World: Aeternum, which will cease operations entirely on January 31, 2027. The game was removed from sale this past January.

Amazon is reallocating resources toward its Luna cloud gaming platform and interactive party titles. Future projects now center on licensed intellectual property, including upcoming games based on James Bond and Tomb Raider, alongside mobile-integrated experiences featuring celebrity-themed AI characters. This restructuring marks a departure from the company's previous efforts to dominate the AAA multiplayer landscape, focusing instead on integrated entertainment services.