Another Casualty in Amazon’s Quest for a Video Game Hit

Amazon’s foray into the “combat game show” genre has met a premature end. King of Meat, the cooperative multiplayer title developed by Glowmade and published by Amazon Games, is officially slated for closure. On Monday, the companies confirmed that the project will sunset in April 2026, with the promise of full refunds for every player who purchased the game.

“Despite the ingenuity and creative spirit Glowmade poured into King of Meat, the title unfortunately failed to cultivate the community we had envisioned,” Amazon Games shared in an update on the official website. “Consequently, we have decided to halt further investment. The King of Meat servers will remain operational until April 9, 2026, giving our ‘Contenders’ a final window to enjoy the game’s content together.”

The announcement likely comes as little surprise to those tracking the game’s performance. While Steam users gave the title generally favorable marks, critical reception via OpenCritic was notably cooler. More tellingly, the game struggled to gain any real momentum, peaking at a meager 320 concurrent players on Steam. Early reports from the community indicated that matchmaking on consoles was equally barren, with many players unable to find a full four-person squad even during launch week.

King of Meat joins a growing list of shuttered projects under the Amazon Games banner. Just last month, the company confirmed that its flagship MMO New World: Aeternum is scheduled to close permanently in 2027. This pattern of high-profile cancellations includes the short-lived shooter Crucible and the fantasy-sports hybrid Breakaway. While its internal development has seen significant turbulence, Amazon has found consistent success as a publisher for external studios, managing hits like Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty. Looking ahead, the company is still banking on an upcoming Lord of the Rings MMORPG and several Tomb Raider titles.

First revealed during the 2024 Gamescom Opening Night Live showcase, King of Meat arrived on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2025, but ultimately failed to survive the competitive landscape of live-service gaming.

Source: Polygon