Overview
- Multiple outlets reported Thursday that Amazon canceled its Lord of the Rings MMO.
- Amazon’s head of games Jeff Gattis did not confirm the cancellation but said the team is exploring a new game experience with Middle-earth Enterprises.
- The reported decision followed October 2025 layoffs, when an internal memo said Amazon would halt much of its first-party AAA work focused on MMOs.
- Sources said Amazon began shifting more than 1,000 New World developers to the Lord of the Rings team as it entered pre-production before the cuts.
- Eurogamer detailed an internal push to use generative AI on projects such as Project Trident, while Gattis said role reductions reflected a strategic shift rather than AI.