Amazon is ditching MMOs and cranking out party games

Amazon to Abandon MMOs, Focus on Casual Party Games as Part of Reorganization Efforts

In a significant shift, Amazon has decided to scale back its involvement in massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, instead prioritizing casual party games. The move comes as part of the company's broader reorganization efforts, which have already led to layoffs and changes across various divisions.

According to a memo from Steve Boom, vice president of audio, Twitch, and games, Amazon will be halting most of its work on first-party AAA MMOs within Amazon Game Studios. This decision was made after a thorough evaluation of the company's mission and focus, with an emphasis on delivering the best gaming experiences to customers while leveraging Amazon's unique strengths.

The memo also revealed that significant role reductions are planned for the studios in Irvine and San Diego, as well as the central publishing team. While this move may seem drastic, Boom emphasized that it is necessary for the company to drive its business forward and continue making a meaningful impact on the gaming industry.

On the other hand, Amazon has expressed its commitment to supporting its existing MMOs, including New World: Aeternum, Throne and Liberty, and Lost Ark. The company will continue to provide regular updates and community engagement for these titles, although it's unclear what specific changes or content updates can be expected in the near future.

In related news, Amazon has also announced plans to focus on more casual and AI-focused games through its Studio 5 team, which recently released a courtroom game starring Snoop Dogg as part of its cloud gaming service, Luna. The company is also working with external studios like Crystal Dynamics on an upcoming Tomb Raider title and Maverick Games on an open-world driving game.

While this reorganization effort may mark the end of Amazon's foray into AAA MMOs, it's clear that the company remains committed to the gaming industry and will continue to innovate and push boundaries in other areas. As one analyst noted, "It's still Day 1" for Luna, and with its focus on social party games and streaming entertainment, there's plenty of potential for growth and success in this space.

So Amazon is ditching MMOs like a bad habit and focusing on more chill party games? I mean, I get it, they wanna make some cash and keep their gamers happy . But what's the real reason behind this move? Is it because they realized that AAA MMOs are just too bloody expensive to produce? Or is it 'cause they want to distance themselves from those pesky subscription models?

I think this move might be a clever ploy by Amazon to create some space and breathe new life into their gaming division. By focusing on casual party games, they can tap into the growing social gaming market and keep their customers engaged. And let's not forget about Luna - that cloud gaming service is still in its early days, but it's got potential .

But what about the impact on existing MMOs like New World? Are we gonna see some significant changes or updates? I'm keeping an eye on this one. One thing's for sure, though - Amazon's reorganization efforts are giving gamers a lot to think about . It'll be interesting to see how they play out...

I'm kinda surprised Amazon is ditching the MMOs thingy . I mean, they had some decent titles like New World: Aeternum, but at the same time, it's not like they were killing it in that department. It makes sense that they'd wanna focus on more casual party games and AI-focused stuff, tho. I guess it's all about diversifying their portfolio and trying new things . Still, I hope they don't abandon the MMOs entirely - some people love 'em . Maybe this move just means we'll see more surprises from Amazon Game Studios in the future . Either way, it'll be interesting to see how this reorganization effort plays out .

I'm low-key disappointed but not surprised, tbh . I mean, Amazon has been struggling to make those MMOs take off, and it's all about prioritizing what actually works for them. Those party games are gonna be a whole different beast, and I'm hyped to see where they take it . The fact that they're still supporting New World and the others is a bummer, but we'll just have to wait and see how things play out . It's all part of Amazon's evolution, right?

I feel like Amazon is making a smart move by scaling back its MMO efforts . I mean, let's be real, it's been a tough road for those games to find their footing . By focusing on casual party games and social experiences, they're playing to their strengths and catering to the masses . It's not about abandoning ship entirely, but more about refocusing their energy on what really matters – making gaming accessible and fun for everyone!

Amazon's decision to pivot from MMOs to casual party games is kinda interesting, I mean, they've always been about experimenting with new things right? It's like they're taking the fun, lighthearted side of gaming and focusing on that instead of trying to make super immersive MMOs. That being said, I think it's a bit sad to see them scale back their involvement in MMOs - there was always something special about those kinds of games, you know? Still, with Luna and all the other services they've got going on, I'm curious to see what kind of party games and social experiences they'll come up with next... might be some fun stuff!

omg what just happened?? i mean amazon was all in on these super competitive MMOs but now they're kinda... out? i get it tho, gaming is a wild market and not every game can be a hit, but it's still weird cuz you feel like amazon had some awesome ideas for their studios. i'm really curious about what this means for new world: aeternum tho - will we see more updates or just kinda... fade away? also, luna is still around and doing stuff right? i mean, snoop dogg in a courtroom game sounds like a wild ride

just another big corp saying what they gonna do now, gonna focus on making money from casual party games instead of risking it all on MMOs . think of all the devs who lost their jobs tho

idk why amazon is doin this tho they had some sick mmos like new world what did they even get outta playin all that dev time? its not like they were makin a profit or anythin lol, now theyre just gonna focus on casual party games... sounds like they just wanna get in the ground game quick and make some cash off streamers and stuff its weird tho cuz i mean, amazon is all about disruptin stuff but this feels like a pretty safe move

idk about amazon ditching mmos they were just getting into that scene btw i'm kinda surprised tho, i mean new world was actually pretty cool guess it wasn't enough to keep them interested? still curious what's gonna happen with lost ark tho

idk if this is a good idea lol i mean amazon was like the best at MMOs but now they're just gonna leave it all behind to do casual party games idk what people want anymore maybe they should've stuck with new world tho that game had potential

but on the other hand i'm also kinda hyped about studio 5 and their new cloud gaming service i feel like snoop dogg in a courtroom game would be so lit and luna's got some serious growth potential i mean it's still day 1 for them, but who knows maybe they'll surprise us

"Change is the law of life... And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." The shift in Amazon's gaming strategy might seem sudden, but it's actually a sign of evolution – the company is adapting and innovating for its future success.

Ugh, what a bummer ! I mean, I get it, Amazon's got bigger fish to fry now, but still... their MMOs were actually pretty solid. New World: Aeternum was my fave and Throne and Liberty had some sick gameplay mechanics. Losing those studios is gonna hurt the gaming community, no doubt about it . On the other hand, I'm low-key hyped for their new casual party games ! Studio 5's courtroom game with Snoop Dogg was a blast, and if they can keep that kinda energy going, I'm all in ! Luna's got potential, for sure... still gonna keep an eye on it .

amazon is all about the benjamins now theyre more focused on making some cash from casual party games rather than investin in themmobs like new world still got love for luna tho, its like the cool kid on the block wanna see what kinda games studio 5 comes up with next maybe some fun collabs?

So I think this is kinda weird... Amazon was all about building these huge MMO worlds that you could just dive into... now they're like "Nah, we'll stick to casual party games" It's like they're saying the gaming world has changed and now it's all about chill vibes. But what happens to all those players who invested time in New World and Throne and Liberty? Will they just forget about them?

[ASCII art of a person looking confused]

Oh, and I'm kinda curious about Luna... the cloud gaming service... I've been using it to play games with friends online. It's pretty cool! The fact that Amazon is investing in this shows they still care about the gaming industry. But we'll see what comes next... maybe we'll get some more news on the Tomb Raider and driving game fronts?

im not surprised tbh amazon has been struggling to make MMOs work lol they had that huge mess with new world like what were they even thinking? it was all so overhyped and glitchy ugh anyway i hope the casual party games are where its at tho idk how good luna is but its cool that snoop dogg is in a game lol might pick up the tomb raider one too, been wanting to play more of those

idk about this move lol amazons been all over the gaming map since they got into it like MMOs and now casual party games seems like a solid pivot to me i mean its not like they're giving up on gaming all together, they just wanna focus on what they're good at i.e streaming entertainment and social games that work with luna and lets be real who needs AAA MMOs when you can have games that are actually fun to play with friends

I'm seeing a lot of gamers freaking out over Amazon's decision to ditch MMOs , but let's keep things in perspective. I mean, the company's already shifting gears to focus on casual party games and cloud gaming with Luna - that's still got potential for growth! And yeah, New World and Lost Ark will still get updates, but it's about time they scaled back some of their crazy ambitions . As for the layoffs, yeah, that stinks, but at least Amazon is being transparent about what's going down . It's all about adapting to change and finding new ways to innovate, right?

omg u guys can u believe amazon is basically saying goodbye to their MMOs lol i mean i get it they wanna scale back but like what about all the people who invested time and effort into those games?! the thought of new world aeternum just kinda dying on its own is heartbreaking idk wut gonna happen 2 the ppl who play that tho? anyway i guess it's good they're focusing on casual party games bc thats where the future is at lol tbh i think this whole reorg thing is kinda interesting cuz ur not sure wut's gonna come outta it but i'm lowkey hyped 4 luna and them new games