Amazon Games Was Reportedly A Bigger Mess Than We Knew

"Project Trident used to be very different. Sources who worked on the game told Eurogamer it was originally a more serious Shadow of the Colossus-style adventure. It only shifted after the developers felt pressured by a corporate mandate to use AI in their game or face cuts. Adapting to the new rules, the developers changed course from their original vision to creating what they described as a “Helldivers-style” game."

"As a part of the corporate mandate to include genAI, Eurogamer also reported that the Project Trident devs were given only 18 months to have their game ready to ship. Unable to meet that deadline, the developers managed to secure extra time, at which point Project Trident would transform again, this time into a single-player game. After years of developmental fits and starts, the team was working on finalizing a demo before Amazon pulled the plug with the October layoffs."

"Something unique about it was that it incorporated generative AI technology aimed at making the world and its NPCs more responsive. But according to sources who worked on the game, Project Trident used to be very different. They told Eurogamer it was originally a more serious Shadow of the Colossus-style adventure. It only shifted after the developers felt pressured by a corporate mandate to use AI in their game or face cuts."

"Last October, Amazon laid off roughly 14,000 employees, which included significant reductions in its gaming business. A known casualty of the layoffs was New World: Aeternum, which is set to shut down in January 2027 despite being one of Amazon Games' few success stories. However, there was another game unceremoniously canceled despite the valiant efforts of its developers."

Amazon Games Studios faced layoffs that shut down New World: Aeternum in January 2027 and canceled Project Trident. Project Trident was a Viking-inspired third-person action comedy using generative AI to make the world and NPCs more responsive. Developers said the project originally aimed for a serious Shadow of the Colossus-style adventure, then shifted after pressure to include AI or face cuts. The game later moved toward a Helldivers-style approach, then became a single-player game after additional time was secured. After years of changes and delays, the team was finalizing a demo when October layoffs ended the project.

Read at Kotaku