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Amazon Games

All articles tagged with #amazon games

Amazon shelves the Lord of the Rings MMO, eyes a new Middle-earth game experience
gaming10 days ago

Amazon shelves the Lord of the Rings MMO, eyes a new Middle-earth game experience

Amazon reportedly canceled its long-running Lord of the Rings MMO, while saying it’s still exploring a new game experience in Middle-earth. The project, announced in 2019, was scrapped in 2021, briefly revived in 2023, but mass layoffs last year suggest it’s dead; Amazon insists it remains committed to the IP and is pursuing a different concept, with rumors of ties to Rings of Power and potential involvement from studios like Crystal Dynamics or Warhorse.

Amazon reportedly cancels Lord of the Rings MMO amid layoffs and strategic shift
technology11 days ago

Amazon reportedly cancels Lord of the Rings MMO amid layoffs and strategic shift

Amazon reportedly canceled its Lord of the Rings MMO after October layoffs, with the company saying it’s pursuing a 'new game experience' in Middle-earth; the project began in 2019 with Leyou and later Embracer, and about 1,000 developers reportedly moved from New World to LOTR before the cuts, while New World is scheduled to go offline in January 2027. Some reports linked an AI mandate to the layoffs, which Amazon denies.

Countdown to Goodbye: New World to End in 2027 as Buyout Rumors Surface
gaming4 months ago

Countdown to Goodbye: New World to End in 2027 as Buyout Rumors Surface

Amazon Games’ MMORPG New World will shut down on January 31, 2027, with its final season extended to a proper send-off as storefronts are pulled and a farewell message from the dev team is issued. Rumors have circulated that Facepunch’s COO Alistair McFarlane offered $25 million to buy the game, signaling fresh hope for a rescue, a notion echoed by other industry figures but not yet confirmed.

Amazon's New World to Shut Down in 2027, Ending Aeternum's Era
gaming4 months ago

Amazon's New World to Shut Down in 2027, Ending Aeternum's Era

Amazon Games will shut down New World: Aeternum on January 31, 2027. The game will remain online until then with no new content after the Nighthaven update, and is currently being delisted. Microtransactions (Marks of Fortune) will stay on sale until July 19, 2026, with no refunds for existing balances. While no further development is planned, Amazon will monitor for bugs and performance during the wind-down amid prior layoffs in its gaming division.

Amazon Ends New World Updates Amid Mass Layoffs and Player Backlash
technology6 months ago

Amazon Ends New World Updates Amid Mass Layoffs and Player Backlash

Amazon is winding down support for the MMO New World following mass layoffs affecting over 14,000 roles across the company, with the game's last content updates released and servers to remain active until 2026. The company is shifting focus away from MMOs to other projects like Amazon Luna and upcoming titles, while expressing gratitude to players for their support.

gaming7 months ago

New World to Continue Servers Through 2026 Amid Development Halt

Amazon's New World will enter maintenance mode, with no new content updates planned after Season 10 and Nighthaven, but servers will remain operational through 2026, allowing players to continue their adventures in Aeternum. The game will still be available for purchase and download, with ongoing support to keep it running smoothly, though no further content development is expected.

"MMORPG Beta: Player Impressions and Feedback"
gaming2 years ago

"MMORPG Beta: Player Impressions and Feedback"

Amazon Games and NCSoft's upcoming MMORPG, Throne and Liberty, has launched its closed beta, garnering feedback from players. Impressions highlight the game's impressive visual fidelity and solid technical performance, but raise concerns about the combat, character gear, and potential microtransactions. The beta ends on April 17, with more insights expected as the trial period continues.

"Unveiling the Redesigned Lara Croft: Excitement Builds for Tomb Raider's Unreal Engine 5 Reboot"
gaming2 years ago

"Unveiling the Redesigned Lara Croft: Excitement Builds for Tomb Raider's Unreal Engine 5 Reboot"

Crystal Dynamics is working on a new Tomb Raider game that will bring Lara Croft back to her acrobatic roots, as hinted by artwork found on a new Tomb Raider website. The game is expected to be the "biggest, most expansive Tomb Raider title to date" and will be published by Amazon Games following an announcement in late 2022.

"Lost Ark's Second Anniversary: Celebrations, Challenges, and Amazon's Support Shortage"
gaming2 years ago

"Lost Ark's Second Anniversary: Celebrations, Challenges, and Amazon's Support Shortage"

Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG provide an update on Lost Ark, celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of Western service and outlining plans for 2024, including the release of new classes and content, events to support player progression, and server and region merges. The Road to Thaemine event is moved to March to prepare players for the Breaker Class, while new and returning events are introduced to aid player progression. Thaemine's release in April will include a special race for the first clear, and server and region merges are planned to enhance the group gameplay experience.

"Team Update: Balancing the West with New Updates"
gaming2 years ago

"Team Update: Balancing the West with New Updates"

Smilegate RPG and Amazon Games explain the process of bringing balance updates from Korea to the West for the game Heroes of Arkesia. The base build, which includes hundreds of updates, is prepared by Smilegate RPG and applied to the West build after removing or rearranging content specific to Korea. Simultaneous releases are challenging, but significant improvements may be brought to the West separately from the base build. QoL and balance updates are typically made every three months, with rebalancing occurring after release. Amazon Games is exploring ways to release balance updates more quickly in the West.

"Massive Layoffs at Amazon Games: 180 Employees Let Go"
gaming2 years ago

"Massive Layoffs at Amazon Games: 180 Employees Let Go"

Amazon Games is laying off 180 employees in its games division, with the Crown Twitch channel being eliminated and the game growth teams being affected. This is the second wave of layoffs the division has faced this year. The gaming industry has seen numerous layoffs in 2022, including those at Free Radical Design, Ubisoft, Bungie, Microsoft, Striking Distance Studios, BioWare, Ascendant Studios, Naughty Dog, Telltale Games, and Media Molecule.

Throne and Liberty's US-based beta testing set for September
gaming2 years ago

Throne and Liberty's US-based beta testing set for September

Amazon Games and NCSoft are offering a technical test for their upcoming free-to-play MMO, Throne and Liberty, allowing players to participate in large-scale battles, explore dungeons, and engage in guild battles. The test will run from September 19 to October 3, with crossplay between PC and console. Feedback from the test will be used to improve the game, which is set for a global release in 2024. Interested players can sign up on the website, but must adhere to a Non-Disclosure Agreement.