Amazon is not abandoning its quest to release a video game set in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy universe, even after the company scrapped its ambitious Lord of the Rings MMO earlier this year.
Jeff Gattis, general manager of Amazon Gaming, clarified the company's stance at Summer Game Fest, pushing back against the narrative that the project had died outright. "Nothing's been canceled per se," Gattis told IGN, explaining that Amazon is actively evaluating multiple game concepts to determine which best suits both its audience and the broader gaming market.
"The true answer is we're still looking at a number of different things," Gattis said. "I looked at a project a couple of weeks ago that I thought was quite compelling that perhaps we can go forward with." He emphasized that the evaluation process centers on identifying the right game for the right audience, with hopes that a decision would come eventually.
The confirmation settles speculation that had lingered since the MMO's cancellation was first reported. Amazon's previous statement had signaled continued interest, noting that the creative team was exploring a new game experience and remained excited about the intellectual property. This latest update from Gattis provides more concrete evidence that work is ongoing, separate from the Middle-earth open world RPG currently in development at Warhorse Studios, the team behind Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
Amazon's approach to licensed games reflects a broader strategy within its gaming division. The company owns several major franchises including Tomb Raider and James Bond, and has recently worked on projects outside its own portfolio like Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite. However, Gattis made clear that Amazon is not interested in creating original characters or entirely new franchises for gaming.
"We have not been, to be candid with you, really focused on creating new IP per se," Gattis said. Instead, Amazon is concentrating on what he called innovative game mechanics, which might eventually lead to new intellectual property. The company has numerous projects in development but lacks the finished products needed to demonstrate progress.
Amazon's recent track record in AAA game development has been rough. The shift of New World into maintenance mode last year coincided with massive layoffs affecting 14,000 employees, with the gaming division absorbing significant cuts. Reports indicated Amazon was pulling back from MMO development and retreating from PC and console games in favor of its cloud gaming service Luna. The departure of former Amazon Game Studios boss Christoph Hartman earlier this year further suggested a strategic realignment.
Despite these setbacks, Gattis insisted Amazon remains committed to AAA gaming, though with a more selective approach. "Very much committed to it," he said, but qualified the statement by emphasizing that Amazon would pursue only AAA projects that make sense for its platform and audience. He pointed to Tomb Raider as an example of a property with obvious broad appeal that aligns with Amazon's Prime Video ecosystem.
Breaking into the AAA space has proven difficult for Amazon. Gattis acknowledged that established gaming companies have spent decades and tens of billions building install bases, intellectual property, network effects, and storefronts that create formidable barriers to entry. He suggested Amazon needed to identify underserved market opportunities where the company could bring unique value rather than simply chasing a large market.
"I think it's been that assessment to give me confidence that we've got it right now, but it's hard," Gattis admitted.
The first real test of Amazon's refined AAA strategy will come with its Tomb Raider revival. Legacy of Atlantis, a reimagining of Lara Croft's original adventure, launches in February 2027, followed by an entirely new Tomb Raider game called Catalyst. A Prime Video television series starring Sophie Turner will complement the gaming releases.
Whether Amazon can execute this revised vision and deliver compelling gaming experiences remains to be seen. The Lord of the Rings project, still in conceptual evaluation, could become the first major indicator of whether the company's new approach actually works.
Author Emily Chen: "Gattis's insistence that nothing was canceled is a classic pivot, but at least Amazon is being honest about the fact that it doesn't yet know what kind of Lord of the Rings game it wants to make."
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