Amazon Game Studios Divests ‘Lost Ark,' 'Throne and Liberty’

August 13, 2026 - 08:53

Amazon Game Studios is stepping back from two of its major multiplayer titles, transferring control of "Throne and Liberty" and "Lost Ark" back to the studios that originally built them. The move signals a clear shift in how the company approaches its games division, moving away from direct publishing duties on these large-scale projects.

The changes mean that NCsoft will take over full operational control of "Throne and Liberty," while Smilegate will reclaim "Lost Ark." Both games were previously published by Amazon in Western markets, with the company handling localization, server infrastructure, and live service support. Now, the original developers will manage those responsibilities directly, likely to streamline decision-making and align the games more closely with their home region updates.

This is not a full exit from the gaming space. Amazon still has its own internal projects and continues to work on other licensed properties. But the divestment of these two MMOs is a notable pivot. The company has had a mixed track record with live-service games, and these two titles, while popular, required constant attention and frequent content drops. Handing them back to the teams that know them best could be a practical move to reduce overhead and let Amazon focus on more experimental or single-player focused work.

Players might notice some changes in how patches and events are rolled out, but the games themselves will keep running. Both NCsoft and Smilegate have the experience to keep these worlds alive, and the transition is expected to be smooth. For now, the biggest takeaway is that Amazon is trimming its portfolio to concentrate on what it does best, rather than spreading itself thin across genres that demand a very specific kind of long-term commitment.