According to the New York Times, Amazon is investing “hundreds of millions” of dollars to break into the gaming business. The multinational tech company has its hand in many different areas like streaming, film, TV, and much more. This new expenditure includes game development, distribution, and Twitch.
In May, the company is set to release its first original game, Crucible, a sci-fi shooter based around aliens. This release window comes after multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amazon’s studios are currently developing multiple titles, including a Lord of the Rings MMO. Their newest studio, run by former Sony Online Entertainment head John Smedley, is based in San Diego and working on an unannounced game. His studio is working from home throughout the pandemic, but he asserts via Twitter that things are progressing nicely.
Amazon is also rumored to be developing Twitch friendly games that allow broadcasters to play alongside their viewers. It should be noted that Twitch is a subsidiary of Amazon, so they plan to continue expanding the popular streaming service. Also rumored to be in the works is a new cloud gaming service, referred to now as “Project Tempo”. Reports of this date back over a year, though the timeline for its development has also been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. An early version of “Project Tempo” was meant to be released this year, but it has now been pushed back to 2021.
Despite setbacks, Amazon is serious about impacting the gaming world. They’ve been less than successful before, even canceling their first big title Breakaway, because the game just did not come out well enough in their eyes. It remains to be seen if the company hangs with other juggernauts in the gaming business like Microsoft and Sony.