Amazon gets out of the MMO game

Amazon is finalizing its departure from the massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming market by relinquishing the publishing and operational duties of its prominent titles to external partners.

According to recent announcements, the western operations of the fantasy game Throne and Liberty will transition to FirstSpark Games and NC Soft during the final quarter of 2026. Shortly thereafter, in early 2027, Smilegate will assume full responsibility for running Lost Ark. This decision follows a strategic announcement made last autumn, where the company indicated it would scale back its internal development of high-budget gaming projects, leading to the eventual sunsetting and absolute closure of its own flagship game, New World: Aeternum, in January 2027.

This pivot signals a fundamental realignment of the corporate giant's gaming division toward more scalable and complementary entertainment offerings. Moving forward, the company's video game strategy will place greater emphasis on its Luna cloud streaming infrastructure, which allows users to play games across various devices, and casual multiplayer party games integrated with mobile phone controls. Furthermore, future development efforts will center around producing titles that directly connect to major media properties and cinematic intellectual franchises already under the company's broader entertainment umbrella, such as upcoming projects in the Tomb Raider and James Bond universes.