Christoph Hartmann joined Amazon Games in 2018. Since then, he claims to have improved a lot at the studio. MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch agrees with this statement and is therefore very optimistic about the new MMORPG based on The Lord of the Rings.
The German manager Christoph Hartmann has been working in the gaming industry since 1995 and was initially part of the team that created Grand Theft Auto. He worked for the publisher Take-Two, founded the studio 2K Games, and has been Vice President at Amazon Games since the summer of 2018.
In an interview with IGN, he said:
Amazon has tried to establish itself in games, and I think they have approached the topic more like a tech company rather than a gaming or entertainment company.
When they brought me in for the first time, with a lot of experience and knowledge about the gaming industry, and when they gave us the room to breathe that we needed, it got better.
When I read this statement, I instinctively nodded my head. I noticed this especially with Breakaway and Crucible. They wanted to bring innovation, but mainly in genres that were currently dying out. Both games were clean in terms of content, but they lacked a uniqueness. New World would have probably fallen into the same trap if they had stuck with the original concept.
Moreover, a former developer criticized that there was too much top-down control and too little room for development. The then head of the department was also said to have had little experience with games.
But since 2019, I have experienced a noticeable turnaround. It fits that the team from New World is working on the new MMORPG.
New World changed direction late, but it was the right move
You can see this turnaround most strongly in New World. It was initially intended to be a survival MMO, with a strong focus on PvP. Then it would have had to compete for player numbers on Steam with titles like Rust, DayZ, or Last Oasis. Instead, in 2019, they decided on a radical course change, focusing suddenly on dungeons and even on raids starting July 2023, and made PvP optional.
However, none of the mentioned games came even close to the peak numbers of New World. The biggest competitor here is ARK: Survival Evolved – with 248,405 concurrent players on Steam, excluding the console version. New World had 913,634 PC players at launch.
I myself spent many hours in New World in 2019, even before it announced its pivot to PvE, and I assure you: The MMO did not have the level of Rust or ARK and would have died just as quickly as Crucible. The weapons had no abilities at all, the walls of captureable fortresses could be stacked, and the combat system was even clunkier.
A little insight can be seen in this old video of mine:
Of course, New World released too early as a PvE game. The MMORPG would have needed a good 12 months to develop a meaningful gear system for endgame, implement more content, and especially to focus more on bug hunting.
However, the fundamental decision to switch from a PvP to a PvE game was a huge success. I also count the marketing campaign and the use of Twitch, which have created the hype around New World.
And everything that happened afterward with the MMORPG was very positive:
- There were regular and very important updates, including new dungeons, weapons, a clear gear structure, and a new endgame area
- The MMORPG has had a clear course since 2022 that it follows
- For 2023, a roadmap was published early, which even includes a first expansion in the fall
- With the seasons, a monetization model has been found that does not hurt anyone
Additionally, the developers have started to communicate and discuss more openly. An adjustment that I, as a fan, very much welcome.
Amazon established dominance in MMORPGs, which benefits The Lord of the Rings
If you look at Amazon Games’ portfolio, the target audience becomes clear immediately. Initially, they relied on a colorful mix of hero shooters (Crucible), battle royales (Intensity), MOBAs (Nova), and a modified version of Rocket League (Breakaway), but now they are primarily focused on MMORPGs.
Besides New World and the new Lord of the Rings MMORPG, which Amazon is developing itself, the studio is also acting as a publisher for Lost Ark, Blue Protocol, and Throne and Liberty. Additionally, three more games are set to be published, but there are currently almost no details available.
What I find most exciting is the MMORPG based on The Lord of the Rings, which is being developed by the New World team. Some have criticized this precisely because the game experienced such a rapid decline in player numbers. However, I find it brilliant:
- The team has already gained experience with the release of a game and can better prepare for launch issues.
- They know how to manage an MMORPG in live operation and can address issues like endgame problems more quickly and prioritize better.
- They can flexibly shift manpower between the two games as necessary – such as for the release of a new expansion.
Moreover, much seems to indicate that this could also tackle the major criticism regarding development, such as through promotions in the career ladder in the other game or more flexible deployment options. However, that is just speculation on my part.
It also benefits the studio that Michael Frazzini stepped down in 2022. He started his career in 2003 at Amazon in the book department and had also been Vice President of the Games division until 2022. However, under him, many games and ongoing developments were interrupted and an insider report stated that he allegedly had no knowledge of gaming.
For me, it seems that a course correction has taken place at Amazon Games in recent years – also thanks to Hartmann. He gives me a positive feeling for the upcoming MMORPG and also for the future of New World.
Of course, The Lord of the Rings must differ significantly from New World, especially regarding server structure or the design of the open world. There is no guarantee that the development team will succeed. But after the last nearly 1.5 years, I trust them to do it.
What do you think about the development of Amazon Games? Are they the right studio for the next MMORPG hit?
One of the few games I am looking forward to more than the MMORPG based on The Lord of the Rings is the upcoming MMO from Riot Games. Everything about it here: Everything we know about the new MMORPG based on LoL in 2023.
