- Kyle Chua
Amazon Sets Sights on New Games, Game IPs
Amazon wants to be a big player in the world of video games, with it set to publish more games and produce more shows based on game franchises in the future.
The tech leviathan’s games division, Amazon Games, is reportedly financing and distributing the next mainline Tomb Raider game, with Crystal Dynamics handling development duties, according to Bloomberg. The game is being built on Unreal Engine 5 and is expected to come out on multiple platforms. It’s currently in early development, so no release details as of yet.
Amazon did, however, say that the game would continue protagonist Lara Croft’s story from the rebooted trilogy, which was also developed by Crystal Dynamics. The last game of which was 2018’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The still-untitled game is also being touted as the "biggest" Tomb Raider yet.
Crystal Dynamics, along with Eidos-Montreal and Square Enix Montreal, were acquired by Embracer Group in May of this year in a US$300 million deal with Square Enix, which also included the intellectual rights of Tomb Raider and Deus Ex, among other games. The move supposedly gave Crystal Dynamics the freedom to work with a publisher that was willing to bank on a new Tomb Raider game.
"Transformative is what we’re looking for, and with Amazon Games, we found a team that shares our creative vision, ambitions and values for a Lara Croft universe across the spectrum of possibilities," said Crystal Dynamics Head of Studio Scot Amos.
"They’re uniquely positioned to rewrite what publishing and development collaborations are, and we’re eager to forge this new path together, starting with building the biggest and best Tomb Raider game yet!"
Outside of games, The Hollywood Reporter said Amazon Studios has greenlit a live-action series based on the acclaimed PlayStation game God of War. The Wheel of Time’s Rafe Judkins is heading the production as the showrunner, with Oscar nominees Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby serving as writers and executive producers. Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios are producing the adaptation in association with PlayStation Productions.
"God of War is a compelling, character-driven franchise that we believe will captivate our global customers as much with its expansive and immersive worlds as its rich storytelling,” Vernon Sanders, Head of Global Television at Amazon Studios, said in a statement.
Apart from this, Amazon is working on a show based on the Fallout franchise with Bethesda Softworks. The series is currently in production.
The streamer is also in final talks to produce a Warhammer 40,000 series, with Henry Cavill reportedly set to star in it and be the executive producer. Warhammer, while primarily a science-fiction fantasy miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, has been adapted over a dozen times in games. No writers or showrunners are attached to the project yet.
Amazon Games is publishing the next mainline Tomb Raider instalment, with Crystal Dynamics handling development duties.
Outside of games, Amazon Studios has greenlit a series based on the acclaimed PlayStation game God of War.
Amazon is also working on a show based on the Fallout franchise with Bethesda Softworks, and is in final talks to produce a Warhammer 40,000 series, with Henry Cavill reportedly set to star in it.