Why Amazon Games VP Mike Frazzini Is Leaving The Company

As reported by Bloomberg, Frazzini started overseeing Amazon’s gaming division in 2009 after spending the first five years working in the company’s books department. In 2014, he helped found Amazon Game Studios, but his novice status in gaming allegedly contributed to the division’s struggle to produce hit games for years. The studio released “The Grand Tour Game” as its first console title in 2019, but it was pulled from stores within a year. In 2020, its next release “Crucible” was sent back to closed beta before being canceled that November.

Despite Amazon reportedly spending around $500 million annually on Amazon Games, employees alleged to Bloomberg that Frazzini’s leadership in the department suffered due to his lack of experience in gaming, claiming he and Amazon as a whole underestimated the complexities of the gaming industry. They also alleged he would often ignore the advice experienced developers gave him and would leave game projects understaffed.

Frazzini’s perseverance seemingly paid off in September 2021 with the launch of Amazon Games’ first MMORPG “New World.” It was a critical darling among PC gamers, boasting a high count of 913,000 players. The success of that game didn’t last long, however, as the number of players later declined to 26,500, according to SteamCharts.