One of the often-cited reasons for Amazon’s struggles is that the typical mindset of big tech companies – taking an analytical approach of investing money in something, growing, and hoping for results – doesn’t work in a fickle arts industry like gaming, where users are quick to criticize and slow to embrace new entrants.

“What governs Amazon above all is this spreadsheet logic,” said Joost van Dreunen, a professor at New York University who studies the video game business. “I don’t know if a creative, hodge-podge process of making games really fits into Amazon’s corporate culture.”

Outside of Amazon, which does not detail its game sales in its financial information, the gaming industry has thrived, especially during the pandemic. Newzoo, a game analytics company, has forecast that people will spend $ 175.8 billion on games this year.

Amazon, of course, found success after a slow start in the production of TV shows and movies. Gaming analysts have suggested that Amazon could instantly discover the gaming industry – which adds a dimension of technological competence – in the same way that it took several years to find a winning strategy in the streaming world. .

“It’s all about experience,” said Rupantar Guha, games analyst at analytics firm GlobalData. “Although they’ve been slow, I think they’re starting to get there.”

Mr Hartmann, who reports to Mr Frazzini, admitted that Amazon had failed in the past. When he joined the company in 2018, New World “didn’t look promising.” Crucible, he said, was intended to compete with Fortnite, one of the most popular games of all time, and its reach was “too ambitious.” “In the long run, I think you learn with the losses,” he said.

But he compared the studio to a talented but young sports team that is on the rise. “You can bring together the best people, but they won’t win the championship immediately,” he said.