Brought on due to a recent report from Bloomberg,Amazon Game Studios' failure in the gaming space has been a big talking point for the industry as of late, with employees from within the company sharing accounts of toxic work conditions and higher-ups being inexperienced in game design. The most concerning accusation wasthat Amazon was home to a “bro culture” environment, where female developers were undermined and overlooked for promotions.
Following the report and the recent news that soon-to-be-formerAmazonCEO Jeff Bezos would be stepping down from his position, it seems the company’s new head, Andy Jassy, wants to reaffirm his commitment to the gaming division. Reported by Bloomberg, who managed to get their hands on a recent email from Jassy to Amazon Game Studios' employees, the future CEO reached out to assure the team that he’ll continue offering support when he assumes his new position this summer.
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According to the publication, Jassy begins by offering full support to Mike Frazzini, the head of the company’s gaming pursuits. Frazzini has apparently been a controversial figure over at Amazon Games, with the senior member of the studio having never worked in video games before and allegedly having unrealistic expectations of the staff. The CEO thenaddresses Amazon’s failed projects thus far, claiming “though we haven’t consistently succeeded yet in AGS, I believe we will if we hang in there.” He shares that he sees a bright future for the studio and that he’s committed to supporting the division in the years to come.
Speaking on the accusations of bro culture and the treatment of women at the studio, Mike Frazzini sent his own email to the team, taking a firm stance that a misogynistic work environment won’t be accepted at Amazon. “We have zero tolerance for this type of behavior,” Frazzini writes, stating thatAmazon Game Studiosshould be an “inclusive” space in the months to come. Hopefully, Frazzini’s words will be evocative of the environment cultivated at the game studio going forward.
As it stands, Amazon is still working on several projects, with its MMONew Worldslated to drop later this year. Set in a fantasy world based on mid-17th century Colonial America, the game will see players strive across this mysterious new land as they battle monsters and other mystical threats. The team also allegedly has aLord of the RingsMMOin the works, although little has been shared about the title. Early rumors seem to point to a release next year, although nothing has been confirmed as of yet. Logic would dictate, however, that the game would see players team up and embark upon epic quests before the backdrop of Middle-Earth.
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