“When discussing AI, we hope it facilitates fresh gameplay concepts rather than displacing talent,” Hartmann stated at the time. “In the context of gaming, traditional acting isn’t the core component… Innovation largely stems from the programming team, which remains indispensable. If AI replaces anything, it will simply be the repetitive, mundane tasks.”
Amazon later attempted to walk back these statements via IGN, expressing “regret over the confusion” and clarifying that they consider actors to be “essential creative contributors” to their projects.
The departure of Hartmann follows a series of setbacks for Amazon Game Studios, which has struggled to establish a foothold in the industry. His exit arrives shortly after the delisting and announced service termination for New World, the title once positioned as Amazon’s definitive breakthrough in the MMO genre.
The studio was hit significantly by the company’s October downsizing. An internal directive revealed a pivot away from internal MMO development in favor of bolstering the Luna cloud streaming service. This strategic shift saw Luna absorb Prime Gaming, recently launching niche titles such as Courtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg.
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Previously, former executives acknowledged that Amazon’s attempt to rival Steam failed because they couldn’t provide a “dramatically better” experience than Valve’s established storefront.
Source: gamesradar.com
