Amazon pressured one of its teams to develop an AI game, they scrambled to make it work - then got laid off anyway

Amazon Game Studios canceled “Project Trident,” a third-person comedic action game set in a Norse setting, and laid off the studio’s developers in October 2025. The game, which would have featured a fictional parody company called Valhalla Ventures that hired the player for adventures, was built around an unusual integration of generative AI technology.

According to reports from Eurogamer, the game’s central mechanic was to use generative AI to facilitate communication between the player and non-player characters (NPCs), serving as a key tool for both combat and puzzle-solving. The project included plans to feature the Norse god Thor, with AI generating dynamic interactions based on player input.

However, the game’s development took a troubled turn following an “AI mandate” from Amazon leadership. The studio was reportedly forced to pivot away from a game that “everyone was excited by” to focus heavily on incorporating more AI features. Despite the team’s efforts to meet this new direction and complete the project, Amazon ultimately canceled Project Trident and laid off the affected developers.

This cancellation exemplifies a broader trend affecting the gaming industry since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, when layoffs have swept through numerous studios worldwide. Industry analysts cite various factors for these cuts, including correction of explosive pandemic-era growth, intensifying competition for audience attention, and investor pressure over “growth narratives.” Project Trident’s fate suggests that even pivoting to accommodate executive priorities offers no guarantee of project survival or employment security in the current gaming landscape.

Amazon pressured one of its teams to develop an AI game, they scrambled to make it work - then got laid off anyway

Sources