Amazon Games cut 180 jobs shortly after Amazon report massive profits
2023's games industry jobapocalypse continues with news that Amazon Games are laying off 180 people. This includes the entirety of the Twitch service Crown Channel, plus its Game Growth division. According to Amazon themselves, it's all with a view to refocussing on Prime Gaming, which serves up games to Amazon Prime subscribers.
The news comes from reader-funded editorial website Aftermath, which was recently founded by a number of seasoned journalists, including former RPS staff writer Nathan Grayson. Amazon themselves have now confirmed Aftermath's report and shared an internal email to staff about the layoffs.
"We've listened to our customers and we know delivering free games every month is what they want most, so we are refining our Prime benefit to increase our focus there," Amazon Games VP Cristoph Hartmann wrote in the email. "With these changes in our business approach come changes to our resourcing, resulting in the elimination of just over 180 roles."
Launched in 2020, Crown Channel was a gaming, celeb and pop culture channel with gamified elements that let viewers steer the direction of shows via Twitch chat, polls and on-screen minigames. According to Bloomberg, Amazon have significantly exaggerated its audience numbers. Game Growth was a kind of R&D division devoted to "reimagining how game creators promote their products across the globe".
"I know this is difficult news and that the impact will be felt widely," Hartmann went on in the email to staff (published in full by The Verge). "It never feels good to say goodbye to colleagues. This isn't a decision the leadership team came to quickly; it was the result of extensive considerations and road mapping for our future.
"We are proud of the work the teams
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