Amazon Game Studios is ceasing its role as a global publisher for MMORPGs, transferring control of its Western servers for Lost Ark and Throne & Liberty back to their respective developers. Smilegate will assume management of Lost Ark's servers in early 2027, while FireSpark will take over Throne & Liberty's operations by the end of this year.
This shift marks a significant change for Amazon's gaming division, which has found more success publishing established MMOs than with its in-house development projects. The company has previously shut down development on its own MMO, New World, and canceled its in-development Lord of the Rings MMO.
For Lost Ark players, the transition to Smilegate will involve some data loss. While core account data such as characters, progression, inventory, and wallet balance will be retained, chat message history, in-game mail, friends list memos, and group names will not carry over. Players are advised to be cautious with subscriptions; active subscriptions will be canceled with adequate notice before the transfer, and Amazon has stopped selling 12-month subscriptions. The handling of any remaining pre-paid subscription time is still being finalized with Smilegate.
Despite the data transition challenges, the move to Smilegate could bring benefits to the Lost Ark player base. Updates are expected to launch simultaneously in Korea and globally, eliminating the previous delay that often saw Western players facing content and raid strategies after they had already been revealed. Smilegate stated that while they aim for simultaneous releases, they will gradually narrow the content gap to avoid disrupting player progression and enjoyment.
The transition for Throne & Liberty appears to be less disruptive, with fewer details on data loss provided. This move allows both games, which have cultivated significant player bases, to continue operation amidst Amazon's shifting strategic priorities in the gaming industry. The decision to return these titles to their developers reflects a broader trend of supporting existing games rather than shutting them down when corporate focus changes.