Amazon has laid off approximately 100 employees from its gaming divisions in San Diego, Prime Gaming, and Game Growth. According to a memo by Amazon Games VP Christoph Hartmann, the company will continue investing in internal development, while expanding its Montreal-based studio. Work on Amazon’s MMO New World will continue, with the Irvine team behind it growing. Despite the layoffs, Amazon Games will continue to publish MMOs, including NCSoft’s Throne and Liberty and Bandai Namco’s Blue Protocol. These layoffs come as part of Amazon’s larger mass layoff affecting roughly 9,000 employees.

The gaming industry has always been unpredictable, and the recent layoffs at Amazon’s gaming divisions are just another example. The company has been investing in gaming for several years now, but has yet to find its footing. The cuts are part of a larger restructuring effort at Amazon, but it’s unclear what the company’s future plans for gaming are.

One thing is for certain, though: Amazon Games will continue to publish MMOs. With the success of Lost Ark and the upcoming releases of Throne and Liberty and Blue Protocol, Amazon is making a name for itself in the MMO space. It’s possible that the company will focus more on publishing and less on internal development, but only time will tell.

The fate of New World, Amazon’s only internally developed title, remains to be seen. The game has been in development for several years and has had a bumpy road, including being delayed multiple times and then canceled and later revived. However, the recent shift to a seasonal content model and the Irvine team’s continued growth suggest that Amazon is still committed to the game’s success.

As for the employees affected by the layoffs, it’s a tough situation. The gaming industry is notoriously unstable, with companies frequently going under or being acquired. The affected employees will undoubtedly be able to find work elsewhere, but it’s still a difficult time for them.

The gaming industry is always evolving, and the recent layoffs at Amazon’s gaming divisions are just another example of that. It’s unclear what the future holds for Amazon Games, but the company’s commitment to publishing MMOs suggests that it will continue to be a player in the industry.