Amazon Games announced a new MMO based on in . Since then, we’ve heard very little about it – and it now appears the wait for updates will continue for much longer than originally anticipated. In , Amazon Games CEO Christoph Hartmann confirmed that while enthusiasm for the MMO remains high, it’s still in the early stages of development, and is yet to find its core “hook” to entice an audience.
“We’re still trying to find the hook, find that idea of what it is because we don’t just want to go and do the same thing over,” Hartmann told . “While it’s tempting sometimes with an existing IP, that’s not the point of doing it. You’ve got to find a fresh twist, and we’re still, I think, in that period where we really want to find out what could be the hook, what could be the thing which is different to all the other games out there.
So it’s a little bit early.” As notes, Hartmann referred to the upcoming MMO from Amazon as being “not too far away” in June, although it appears this statement was slightly ambitious. For now, ideas for this project are still gestating, and it appears a firm direction has not been set.
The complexity of developing a new MMO with a fresh hook is fairly understandable, given Amazon’s efforts will butt up against the already-existing MMO by Turbine / Standing Stone Games. This title, which lets you create a custom avatar and explore the world of Middle-earth, was established in 2007, and still receives content updates. While it doesn’t have a particularly high profile and remains more of a niche MMO, it still has a dedicated community that continues to pour time and effort into it.
Amazon has likely studied this game closely within its own development process, with a view to separate its project from this long-running title. As Hartmann states, the team doesn’t just want to do the same thing as what’s come before, and that means more time in developing a clear vision, and a clear point of differentiation for its upcoming game. For now, it’s likely the Amazon Games team will remain quiet on future updates as its MMO continues to gestate.
It’s likely to be some time before we hear more, so it’s best to stay patient for more news..
