In an interesting turn of events, Amazon Games has recently announced their hire of former Ubisoft managing director Alexandre Parizeau. This hire follows the opening of a new Amazon Games development studio in Montreal. Parizeau will be joining the company in developing a “big budget competitive multiplayer game.” This new game is set to be a AAA game based on new IP.
Amazon Games appears to be poaching big veterans to build up their game. Parizeau himself has over 20 years of experience in the industry, most recently having served as managing director for Ubisoft in their Toronto department. He has also directed big title games such as Rainbow Six Vegas and various Splinter Cell games. Only this February, Parizeau left Ubisoft to “focus on personal priorities.” It seems that his choice may have been right, because in leaving Ubisoft he has landed himself in another great deal.
When I first met the team, I was both impressed and convinced by their vision for a brand new competitive multiplayer experience. I feel very fortunate to join this great group of people to start a new studio…
-Parizeau on joining Amazon Games
At Amazon Games, Parizeau will be collaborating with the studio founders, who worked as core members in developing the tactical shooter Rainbow Six Siege. Together they will work together to form a bold, new team to develop exciting new titles for Amazon Games.
Amazon Games currently has offices in Orange County, San Diego and Seattle, and now most recently, in Montreal. Each of these studios are currently working on developing a variety of new games for the company. These games include their anticipating open world MMO New World, which will be releasing this upcoming September 28. Several other unannounced projects are also being developed, including an original game being produced by a team led by John Smedly, former president of Sony Online Entertainment, in San Diego.
What is most interesting about this news is the initiative Amazon Games appears to be taking in an attempt to get a foot-hold in the gaming industry. Seeing as competitive multiplayers such as Valorant, Counter-Strike, and Overwatch bring in thousands every year, its no surprise that Amazon wants a stake in the market. Valorant players alone have the opportunity to earn up to $60,000 a year from the game- can you imagine how much Riot Games must pull in? It appears that Amazon Games is willing to hire the right people to achieve a game that will be right beside these big titles. Only time will tell, however, if they will be successful.