Amazon Allegedly Pressured Developers to Create a GenAI Game Before Laying Them Off Due to Poor Performance

Being a game developer can be a real challenge, especially at Amazon Games Studios. A recent report highlights the turmoil and disarray within one of the tech giant’s game development teams, which shifted focus to a generative AI project in a bid to secure their jobs, only to face layoffs regardless of the outcome.

Last October, Amazon let go of around 14,000 employees, significantly impacting its gaming division. One notable casualty was New World: Aeternum, which is set to close in January 2027, despite being one of Amazon Games’ few successes. However, another game was abruptly canceled despite the hard work of its developers.

The game in question was a Viking-themed, third-person action comedy known as Project Trident. It aimed to utilize generative AI technology to create a more dynamic world and responsive NPCs. However, sources involved in the project revealed that Project Trident initially had a different vision, resembling a more serious Shadow of the Colossus-style adventure. This shift occurred after developers felt pressured by corporate directives to incorporate AI or risk job cuts.

In response to these new demands, the Project Trident team pivoted from their original vision to develop what they described as a “Helldivers-style” game. Yet, this was not the final iteration. Under the corporate mandate to integrate generative AI, the developers were given just 18 months to prepare the game for release. Although they managed to secure additional time, the project eventually evolved into a single-player experience. After years of development challenges, the team was finalizing a demo when Amazon decided to cancel the project during the October layoffs.

In a memo addressing the layoffs’ effects on the gaming division, Steve Boom, head of Amazon Games, Twitch, and audio, stated, “We have made the difficult decision to halt a significant amount of our first-party AAA game development work — specifically around MMOs — within Amazon Game Studios.” With New World already confirmed for shutdown, this statement suggested that Amazon’s ambitious MMO project based on The Lord of the Rings was also in jeopardy, and it appears that it was indeed canceled alongside Project Trident.

However, Amazon is reportedly still developing another Lord of the Rings game. In a statement, Jeff Grattis, head of Amazon Games, mentioned, “Our creative team continues to explore a compelling new game experience that does justice to Tolkien’s world; we are working closely with Middle-earth and remain excited about the IP.” Whether the developers will be allowed to see this new project through to completion remains uncertain.