LOS ANGELES: Amazon’s video game division has canceled an online role-playing game based on the fantasy series Lord of the Rings, which was announced in 2019.
The game was in development at Amazon Game Studios alongside China-based Leyou Technologies Holdings, which was acquired by Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings in December last 2020
The resulting contract negotiations led to a dispute between Amazon and Tencent that eventually caused the game’s cancellation. An Amazon spokesperson confirmed that, following Tencent’s acquisition of Leyou, it had “been unable to secure terms to proceed with this title at this time.”
The team will be shifted to other projects, and Amazon shared its disappointment in not being able to bring this project to the world. “We love the Lord of the Rings IP, and are disappointed that we won’t be bringing this game to customers,” a spokesperson for Amazon said.
Amazon Game Studios has struggled to release a successful video game since its launch in 2014. The company has canceled previously announced games Breakaway and Crucible.
Amazon’s video game division has struggled because of mismanagement and cultural clashes between game developers and the company’s principles. Amazon’s incoming CEO Andy Jassy said earlier this year that he was committed to the video games division, which launched under outgoing chief executive and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Amazon still has one video game in the works called New World, although that project has been hit with delays and is now scheduled for release in August 2021.
