Amazon Game Studios Head Christoph Hartmann is Leaving the Company

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Amazon is continuing layoffs, and this time it’s impacting its Amazon Game Studios division. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, the head of the division, Christoph Hartmann, is leaving the company as Amazon shifts its focus away from making PC and console games. Instead, Amazon plans to concentrate on its cloud gaming service, Amazon Luna. Hartmann, who has led the game studio since 2018, hasn’t publicly confirmed his departure yet.

I was really surprised to read the news about Amazon’s latest layoffs. Apparently, Reuters is reporting it affects about 10% of their corporate staff – thankfully, it doesn’t include the people working in their warehouses and fulfillment centers. From what I understand, Amazon is trying to streamline things, cut down on management levels, and just generally make things more efficient. What’s cool is that Amazon Game Studios seems to be safe this time around. The cuts are mostly happening in areas like retail, Amazon Web Services, Prime Video, and HR.

In October, Amazon Game Studios experienced significant layoffs as part of a larger reduction of over 14,000 positions across the company. As a result, development on the MMORPG New World: Aeternum has ceased, with the Season 10 update being the last one released. Although the game’s servers will stay online until January 31, 2027, New World is no longer available for purchase, meaning new players won’t be able to try it before its final months.

The studio expressed its gratitude to players for their commitment and enthusiasm. In a post on their official blog, they shared how much they appreciated building the world of Aeternum alongside the community, calling it a special collaboration. While it’s difficult to say goodbye, the studio feels honored to have shared the experience with everyone.

Since the game servers are shutting down next year, Amazon Game Studios announced that the in-game store for New World: Aeternum will close on July 20, 2026. This means players won’t be able to purchase any more Marks of Fortune, and any Marks already bought won’t be refunded.

Although there are no plans for new content in New World: Aeternum right now, the development team will still release updates to fix bugs and address any problems players encounter.

The team behind New World: Aeternum shared that it’s been a joy working on the game and building the experience with players. They’re excited to spend one last year with the community, giving this beloved adventure a proper farewell. They expressed sincere gratitude for everyone who has been a part of the world of Aeternum.

The October 2024 release of New World: Aeternum was a significant update for the game, effectively revitalizing the MMORPG. This expansion allowed New World to launch on consoles in addition to PC, and featured a brand new storyline taking players from the beginning to level 65. The update also emphasized richer world-building and a more engaging narrative. You can find a detailed look at the changes in our New World: Aeternum review.

Big news: Christoph Hartmann, who leads Amazon Game Studios and previously worked at 2K, is departing the company. This move signals Amazon is shifting its focus away from traditional PC and console games and prioritizing its cloud gaming platform, Luna.

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) 2026-01-28T17:41:15.844Z

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2026-01-29 14:41