Last year, one of the world’s largest corporations launched and then shut down a big-budget video game?
“Crucible” was the name of the game, and you’re forgiven if this is the first time you’ve heard of it. Despite being free to play and available on Steam, the world’s largest gaming platform, “Crucible” dropped out of the top-100 list quickly. And five months after its release, Amazon quietly killed “Crucible” after years of development and tens of millions of dollars.
From its failed set-top box project to its current, totally under-the-radar video game streaming service, Amazon Luna, it was emblematic of Amazon’s years-long struggle to break into the lucrative video game market.
Amazon Gaming VP Christoph Hartmann is unphased by the company’s history, which dates back to at least 2014.
In a recent interview with The Verge, Hartmann said, “My personal goal is to create 2-3 AAA, live-service games that capture millions of players and stay in the market for 10+ years.”
That is a lofty goal, and only a few game developers have succeeded in achieving it. There are only so many “League of Legends” and “Overwatch” games out there.
