Amazon Game Studios is reducing its role in the MMO market by handing Western publishing and live operations for Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark back to their original developers.
Throne and Liberty will transition to NC and FirstSpark Games in the fourth quarter of 2026, while Lost Ark will move to Smilegate in early 2027.
The changes end Amazon’s direct operation of two major live service MMOs in the West after several years of handling publishing, localization, support, community management and regional content operations.
Throne and Liberty transition begins in Q4 2026
Throne and Liberty will return to NC and FirstSpark Games later this year.
Amazon has operated the Western version for nearly two years, but most player data is expected to carry over during the transition.
Characters, progression, inventory, entitlements, regions, realms and platform access will remain unless a player chooses to opt out of migration.
The game will continue to be available on Steam, PlayStation and Xbox, with cross play still supported.
NC will also introduce its PURPLE platform as another way to access the game.
Cross progression will work between Steam and PURPLE, although the same support will not extend across every other platform.
Some major content updates may be delayed while the migration is completed. Regular updates and fixes are still expected to continue, but larger releases such as Nix could move to a later date.
Lost Ark moves to Smilegate in early 2027
Lost Ark will follow with its own transition in early 2027.
Smilegate will take control of publishing, live operations, customer support and the in game store for the Western version.
Players will keep their Steam accounts, characters, progression, inventory, purchases, entitlements and wallet balances.
The migration is expected to happen automatically unless a player opts out.
After the change, players will need to connect their Steam accounts with Smilegate’s systems and accept the developer’s updated terms.
Some Lost Ark data will not transfer
Not every piece of player created information will survive the handoff.
Certain free text data will be excluded from migration, including in game mail, chat history, friends list notes, blacklist notes, guild member nicknames and stronghold gift messages.
Players are being advised to claim any important items from in game mail before the transfer happens.
Smilegate will also take control of the official Lost Ark website and community channels.
Amazon’s current Lost Ark social accounts, Discord presence and related community services will no longer be operated by Amazon after the transition.
Transition details at a glance
| Game | New operator | Timing | Main player impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Throne and Liberty | NC and FirstSpark Games | Q4 2026 | Most progression and platform access carry over |
| Lost Ark | Smilegate | Early 2027 | Accounts and purchases carry over, some text data does not |
| Throne and Liberty platform change | PURPLE added | Q4 2026 | Steam and PURPLE cross progression supported |
| Lost Ark community services | Smilegate takes over | Early 2027 | Amazon community channels will end |
Amazon is moving away from direct MMO operations
The two handoffs fit a broader change in Amazon’s games strategy.
The company originally placed major emphasis on persistent online worlds and live service games, including New World, Lost Ark, Throne and Liberty and a large Lord of the Rings project.
New World has since been shut down, while Amazon’s planned Lord of the Rings MMO has faced uncertainty and reports of cancellation or major changes.
At the same time, the company appears to be shifting more attention toward franchises where it has broader media rights or strategic value.
That includes properties such as 007 and Tomb Raider, while Amazon is also continuing to develop Luna as part of its wider gaming business.
Players should see continuity rather than shutdowns
The key point is that neither Lost Ark nor Throne and Liberty is being shut down as part of these changes.
Instead, operational responsibility is moving back to the original developers.
That means players should retain access to their characters and most of their existing progress, although Lost Ark players in particular will need to be aware of the data that will not transfer.
For Amazon, the move represents a significant retreat from directly operating large MMOs in Western markets.
For players, the practical effect is a change in publisher and support structure rather than the end of either game.
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