Amazon continues its games cull, dropping driving game from Forza Horizon devs

February 25, 2026 - 19:29

Amazon has made another significant cut to its gaming portfolio, this time canceling the publishing agreement for the highly anticipated debut title from Maverick Games. The studio, founded by veterans from Playground Games known for the Forza Horizon series, was developing an ambitious narrative-driven open-world driving game.

This decision marks a continued strategic retreat from game development and publishing by the retail and tech giant. The move follows the earlier shutdown of its streaming platform, Crown Channel, and the discontinuation of its game development unit, Glowmade. It represents a significant pivot away from internal creative ventures within the gaming space.

For Maverick Games, the cancellation is a substantial setback. The team, which includes creative talent behind acclaimed titles, had been building momentum for its first project since the studio's founding. The game had been seen as a promising new entry in the driving genre, aiming to blend rich storytelling with open-world exploration.

Amazon has stated it remains committed to gaming through its successful Amazon Games publishing division, which supports external studios like Bandai Namco and Crystal Dynamics. However, the termination of this project underscores a clear narrowing of focus, prioritizing support for established external partners over funding new internal intellectual property. The future of the canceled project now rests solely with Maverick Games, which must seek a new publishing partner to revive its vision.