Full Breakdown
Amazon Returns Publishing of Two MMOs to Their Developers
8/13/2026, 2:10:10 AM
Background & Player Trends
Amazon Game Studios announced that it will transfer live-operations responsibility for the Western versions of “Lost Ark” and “Throne and Liberty” back to their original developers—Smilegate and NC (operating through FirstSpark Games). The move follows a broader strategic shift away from massively multiplayer online (MMO) titles after large-scale layoffs in Amazon’s gaming division and Twitch earlier last year.
Industry data show that both games have experienced steep declines in Western player bases. Lost Ark’s Steam peak of roughly 1.3 million concurrent players has fallen to about 10 thousand, while Throne and Liberty’s peak of just over 336 thousand has contracted to a range of 6 – 13 thousand in recent weeks. Amazon says player accounts will transfer automatically, though certain in-game communications (e.g., guild nicknames and chat history for Lost Ark) will not migrate.
Official Statements & Responses
Amazon’s statement emphasized respect for the development teams and a commitment to a smooth transition, noting that active subscriptions will be canceled before the handover and that existing balances will carry over. FirstSpark Games CEO Moonyoung expressed gratitude for the partnership and described the direct publishing role as “so much sense” for NC. Smilegate’s announcement framed the return of Lost Ark to its developer as a “positive outcome” for players.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As part of our continued strategic evolution, we have made the decision to transition live operations of ‘Lost Ark’ and ‘Throne and Liberty’ back to their respective development studios. We have tremendous respect for the teams at Smilegate and NC, the worlds they’ve built and the passionate communities that have grown around these games,” — Amazon Game Studios
- “Amazon Game Studios has been an excellent partner, and we're grateful to have launched and maintained our MMO thus far with their team,” — FirstSpark Games CEO Moonyoung
What’s Next
The transition for Throne and Liberty is slated for the fourth quarter of 2026, with Lost Ark scheduled to move to Smilegate in early 2027. Amazon indicated that there may be brief downtime during the switch-over and that it will communicate further developments through the games’ community pages.
