Amazon Drops Publishing Rights for Lost Ark, Throne and Liberty
Amazon Steps Back From MMO Publishing, Handing Control to Developers
AMAZON EXITS MMO SPACE
Illustration concept: A high-tech digital gaming setup featuring glowing monitors with fantasy video game artwork, dramatic neon blue and orange studio lighting, modern minimalist style.
AI summary
Amazon Game Studios is shifting its focus away from massively multiplayer online games by returning Western publishing rights for two major titles to their original developers. Players of Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark will experience a seamless transition as save data transfers directly to NC and Smilegate.
Why this matters
This strategic pivot highlights the intense economic realities within the live-service video game publishing sector. By relinquishing publishing control, Amazon reduces its operational footprint in the Western MMO market while ensuring long-running player communities remain intact through direct developer management.
Key takeaways
- Amazon Game Studios is relinquishing Western publishing control for Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark.
- Development studios NC and Smilegate will resume direct management of their respective titles.
- The shift reflects a strategic withdrawal by Amazon from publishing massively multiplayer online games.
- Player accounts and save data will transfer directly to minimize gameplay disruption.
In a major recalibration of its gaming portfolio, Amazon Game Studios is backing away from the massively multiplayer online (MMO) genre. The tech giant's gaming division is relinquishing Western publishing duties for two of its prominent titles, returning operational control to the original development studios behind them.
Under the new arrangement reported by Variety, publishing responsibilities in Western territories for the fantasy online title 'Throne and Liberty' will revert to South Korean developer NC. Simultaneously, control over 'Lost Ark,' an established action MMO, will return to its creator, Smilegate.
The transition marks a clear operational shift for Amazon, which had previously invested heavily in establishing itself as a premier Western distributor for popular Asian multiplayer titles. The decision allows the company to refocus its resources away from the labor-intensive demands of maintaining live-service online ecosystems.
For current active players, the corporate handover is intended to occur without disruption. Amazon confirmed that player progress, account information, and game data will be transferred seamlessly to NC and Smilegate, ensuring uninterrupted gameplay for both titles.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is Amazon giving up publishing rights for Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty?
- The decision is part of Amazon Game Studios' broader strategic pivot away from massively multiplayer online (MMO) titles.
- Will player progress or account data be lost during the publishing transfer?
- No, Amazon stated that player data will transfer directly to developers NC and Smilegate without affecting player accounts.
- Which developers are taking over the publishing responsibilities?
- South Korea's NC will assume duties for Throne and Liberty, while Smilegate will handle Lost Ark.
Source & transparency
- By:
- The Reviser Desk
- Source:
- Variety
- Original publication:
- Aug 12, 2026, 9:58 PM
- The Reviser publication:
- Aug 12, 2026, 9:58 PM
- Updated:
- Aug 12, 2026, 10:01 PM
This report was independently written by The Reviser editorial desk from verified source material. It is not original on-the-ground reporting by The Reviser.
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