Amazon Games gutted amid 14,000 layoffs: work on first-party games and MMOs in particular scaled back, "casual and AI-focused games" a continued focus

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"We have made the difficult decision to halt a significant amount of our first-party AAA game development work"

Amazon Games
(Image credit: Amazon Games)

Amazon confirms it is reducing its global workforce by "approximately 14,000 roles", and there have been substantial cuts across its burgeoning video game division.

As reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, in a memo to Amazon staff reviewed by Bloomberg, Games vice president Steve Boom says the company is "leaning into the things that Amazon does best."

The memo – which Variety shares in full – notes that Amazon will "halt a significant amount" of first-party MMO development. Amazon Games is the current publisher for MMOs like NCSoft's Throne and Liberty, Smilegate RPG's Lost Ark, and it is both the publisher and developer behind 2021 MMORPG New World. That game's team, Amazon Games Orange County, is working on a The Lord of the Rings MMO; Boom's memo notes there will be "significant role reductions in our studios in Irvine and San Diego, as well as our central publishing team."

Scott McCrae
Scott McCrae
Contributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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