Amazon Games is making a major change to its gaming strategy, stepping away from its role as publisher for two major MMORPGs, Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty.
The change does not mean either game is shutting down. Instead, publishing responsibilities will gradually move back to the studios behind the games. Lost Ark will transition to Smilegate in early 2027, while Throne and Liberty is expected to move to NC and FirstSpark Games by the end of Q4 2026.
The announcement marks an important shift for Amazon Games, which has spent several years building a presence in the MMORPG market.
Lost Ark Will Return to Smilegate
Lost Ark, the action MMORPG developed by Smilegate RPG, will see its Western publishing responsibilities return to Smilegate in early 2027.
According to the transition information, the game will continue operating after the change. Existing characters, progression, and items are expected to carry forward, meaning players will not have to start over when the publisher transition takes place.
Smilegate has also indicated that it wants to improve communication with the Western community and reduce the gap between content releases in different regions.
The transition is therefore more of a change in publisher and live-service management than an end to Lost Ark.
Throne and Liberty Is Also Changing Publishers
Throne and Liberty is facing a similar transition.
Amazon Games currently handles publishing for the global version of the MMORPG, but NC and FirstSpark Games are expected to take over publishing responsibilities by the end of Q4 2026.
Like Lost Ark, Throne and Liberty is not being shut down as part of the announcement.
The move instead returns more control to the companies directly connected to the game's development and original publishing ecosystem.
For players, the transition could eventually mean changes to communication, content scheduling, community management, and regional publishing decisions.
What Happens to New World?
Amazon's own MMORPG, New World: Aeternum, is on a different path.
Amazon previously announced that New World would enter a maintenance-focused period, with the game eventually scheduled to shut down on January 31, 2027. This means New World will not simply receive a new publisher in the same way as Lost Ark or Throne and Liberty.
Together, the three developments show how significantly Amazon Games is changing its approach to large-scale MMORPGs.
Why Is Amazon Moving Away From MMOs?
Amazon Games has been reducing its focus on large-scale AAA game development, particularly projects centered around MMORPGs.
The company has increasingly shifted attention toward areas where Amazon believes it can leverage its broader technology and entertainment ecosystem, including Amazon Luna, licensed entertainment properties, and other gaming projects.
This is a notable change from Amazon Games' earlier strategy.
New World was one of Amazon's biggest original gaming launches, while Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty gave the company a major presence in the Western MMORPG market.
However, maintaining large live-service games requires long-term investment in servers, content, community teams, customer support, and regular updates. The latest publisher transitions suggest that Amazon is taking a more selective approach to these commitments.
What Does This Mean for Players?
For players of Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty, the most important point is that the publisher changes do not currently represent the closure of either game.
Players can continue to follow regular updates while the transition plans are being prepared.
The bigger changes will likely become clearer as each handover approaches. Players may see adjustments to community communication, support channels, regional content plans, events, and other live-service operations.
For Lost Ark, Smilegate's return could also bring the development team and Western player community closer together. The company has already highlighted communication and content synchronization as areas it wants to improve.
Amazon Games Is Entering a New Phase
Amazon's decision represents more than a simple change in publishing contracts.
With Lost Ark moving back to Smilegate, Throne and Liberty moving toward NC and FirstSpark Games, and New World: Aeternum scheduled to shut down in early 2027, Amazon's MMORPG-focused era is clearly entering a new phase.
The company is not leaving gaming altogether. Instead, its current strategy appears to be moving away from maintaining a large portfolio of MMO operations and toward a more selective mix of gaming, cloud gaming, and entertainment-related projects.
For players, the next few months will be important as the publisher transitions take shape and developers take greater control over the future of these games.
JJDown will continue following major game updates, new releases, publisher changes, and other stories shaping the gaming industry.
