The departure of Christoph Hartmann, the head of Amazon Game Studios, marks a significant shift within the company’s gaming division. This development was first reported by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who shared the news via BlueSky. In tandem with Hartmann’s exit, Amazon is reportedly recalibrating its focus away from PC and console gaming, opting instead to prioritize its Luna cloud streaming service, which was initially announced in 2020 and is set to launch in 2023.
Layoffs and Strategic Changes
This announcement coincides with Amazon’s latest round of layoffs, impacting approximately 16,000 roles. Beth Galetti, the Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology, indicated that this decision aims to “reduce layers, increase ownership, and remove bureaucracy.” This follows a previous round of layoffs in October 2025, which affected another 14,000 employees.
While it remains uncertain whether the gaming division will be directly affected by this latest wave of job cuts, the company’s strategic pivot away from PC and console games suggests that developers in these areas may face challenges. The October 2025 layoffs had already seen significant reductions in Amazon’s gaming operations, particularly at its Irvine and San Diego offices, alongside a decrease in the development of high-budget titles like MMOs.
One notable project, New World Aeternum, is scheduled to be taken offline in January 2027, further illustrating the shifting priorities within the studio.
Hartmann, who joined Amazon in 2018 as Vice President of Games Studios, brought with him over two decades of experience from 2K Games, where he served as president after co-founding the company in 2005. Reflecting on his role at Amazon, Hartmann expressed enthusiasm for the potential of gaming to connect millions globally. He stated, “Gaming, today’s favourite form of entertainment in the world, is connecting hundreds of millions of people.” He emphasized the unique position Amazon holds in the gaming landscape, thanks to its resources and community platforms like Twitch.
In a conversation with GamesIndustry.biz in 2023, Hartmann acknowledged the pressures of the gaming industry, remarking, “Eventually, we’ll get judged by our successes.” As the company navigates these changes, the future of Amazon Game Studios remains uncertain, with eyes keenly watching how these strategic decisions will unfold in the coming months.
