Amazon Pulls the Plug on King of Meat as Another Big Budget Title Fails to Find an Audience
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Amazon Game Studios and developer Glowmade are shutting down King of Meat on April 9, 2026, offering full refunds to players after the co-op title struggled to build a viable community.
Amazon Game Studios is officially stepping back from King of Meat, confirming that the cooperative multiplayer game show will shut down its servers on April 9, 2026. Developer Glowmade and Amazon announced the closure alongside a commitment to full refunds for anyone who purchased the title. Despite decent marks from some Steam players, the game simply failed to capture the community momentum required to sustain a modern live service title, struggling heavily with matchmaking and concurrent player counts across PC and consoles ever since its launch.
This outcome adds another difficult chapter to Amazon's ongoing history in the games industry. The tech giant has poured massive resources into developing original titles over the years, only to see projects like Crucible and Breakaway quietly vanish, alongside the planned closure of New World: Aeternum set for 2027. While Amazon has found steady footing publishing external hits like Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty, cracking the code for original internal development continues to prove exceptionally tough, even with high profile showings at events like Gamescom.
For players holding the game, servers remain active until the April cutoff date, offering a final window to jump in and clear content with friends. The situation highlights the brutal realities of today's market where even major studio backing cannot guarantee a player base in a crowded ecosystem. As Amazon shifts focus toward upcoming projects like its developing Lord of the Rings MMO and future Tomb Raider titles, the industry watches to see how the publisher adjusts its strategy moving forward.
Original reporting by Michael McWhertor at Polygon
Tags: Amazon Game Studios, King of Meat, Industry News, Live Service, Polygon
Original article: Polygon