Amazon Exits Throne and Liberty, Lost Ark Publishing
Amazon Game Studios will stop publishing two MMOs, with western publishing duties shifting to FirstSpark Games, NC, and Smilegate.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Gaming
Amazon Game Studios will stop publishing Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark, with blog posts on both MMOs' websites confirming the news on Wednesday. Publishing duties for Throne and Liberty will revert to FirstSpark Games and NC, while Lost Ark's western publishing will transfer to Smilegate.
Why it matters
The move extends Amazon's retreat from gaming, which began last October and has included ending New World, shutting down King of Meat, and dropping Clutch and March of Giants. It signals a reversal from Amazon's earlier positioning as a premier MMO publisher in the early 2020s.
Amazon's exit timeline targets Throne and Liberty in Q4 2026 and Lost Ark in early 2027, with Amazon still committed to Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, and Luna party games. Specific exit dates within these windows have not been announced.
The players
Amazon Game Studios
Amazon's gaming publishing arm, which had positioned itself as a premier MMO publisher in the early 2020s before pulling back from multiple titles.
Smilegate
South Korean developer and publisher of Lost Ark, which will take over western publishing duties for the game in early 2027.
FirstSpark Games
Publisher that will resume duties for Throne and Liberty once Amazon withdraws support.
NC
Developer of Throne and Liberty, which will take over publishing alongside FirstSpark Games and will receive player data unless players opt out.
Jeff Gattis
Amazon gaming general manager who said the company remains interested in publishing future James Bond games.
The details
Players keep access to existing characters and accounts on PC and consoles unless they opt out of data transfer to NC for Throne and Liberty. Lost Ark players retain progression and account, ship, playlist, and NPC names, but lose access to in-game mail messages and memos, friends list, blacklist, guilds, strongholds, and chats.
Timeline
Last October: Amazon began divesting from its gaming efforts.
Wednesday (November 5, 2026): Blog posts on both MMOs' websites confirmed the exit.
Q4 2026: Amazon backs out of Throne and Liberty; publishing reverts to FirstSpark Games and NC.
Early 2027: Smilegate takes over Lost Ark western publishing.
Season Trajectory
Amazon's exit from Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark follows its earlier end-of-service decision for New World and shutdown of King of Meat, marking a continued retreat from the MMO publishing it once championed. The pattern contrasts with Amazon's continued commitment to Tomb Raider titles and party games for Luna.
Players with Throne and Liberty characters on PC, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X keep their accounts unless they opt out of data transfer to NC. Lost Ark players should note that in-game mail, friends, guilds, and chat history will no longer be accessible after the transition.
The takeaway
Players invested in either MMO should check their data transfer options and save any important in-game communications before the publishing transitions take effect.
What happens next
Amazon is expected to exit Throne and Liberty in Q4 2026, and Smilegate is expected to take over Lost Ark western publishing in early 2027.
Further reading
For more on the shifting MMO landscape, see our Gaming coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Polygon.
