- Amazon and Smilegate have confirmed that Lost Ark will be moving its operations back to Smilegate.
- This comes after Throne and Liberty, another MMORPG title under Amazon's banner, was also dropped by Amazon.
- Players will not lose any of their in-game progress or balance after Lost Ark transitions back to Smilegate.
In a new announcement, Amazon and developer Smilegate confirmed that live-service operations for the Western release of Lost Ark will transition entirely back to Smilegate in early 2027. This will mark the second major blow to Amazon’s MMORPG games publishing footprint in a single day, following news that Throne and Liberty is also being returned to its owners in late 2026.
Lost Ark initially launched in Western countries like the United States under the Amazon Games banner nearly five years ago and drew in massive initial crowds, breaking player records on Steam.
However, players in the West have lost interest in the title, and server management has run into constant hurdles like botting, localization, and update pacing. This is what has led to Smilegate reassuming control of Lost Ark from Amazon.
According to official updates on the Lost Ark website, Smilegate will soon be taking over the publishing, community channels, and infrastructure. Player characters and progression will automatically carry over to Smilegate’s servers, with players linking their existing Steam accounts to Smilegate’s servers after the transition.
Additionally, all players will maintain 100% of their existing wallet balances. This means any Royal Crystals, Blue Crystals, Gold, and Silver you have will stay with you, despite the server change. There is also an opt-out period that is live for players today, during which they can choose not to have their data transferred after the transition.
Shedding massive MMORPG titles like Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark is definitely a blow to Amazon Game Studios, especially since the company axed other MMO projects like Lord of the Rings earlier this year.
However, the publisher has multiple projects in the pipeline, including Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, which could help turn things back around in 2027.
