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MMO Week in Review: Lost Ark and Throne & Liberty are going home
Amazon has announced it will cease publishing duties for the MMORPGs Lost Ark and Throne & Liberty, returning them to their respective studios, Smilegate and NCsoft. The article also touches on updates and developments for other MMOs including EverQuest Legends, World of Warcraft, Ashes of Creation, and Star Wars The Old Republic.
AI-Written Books Are Swamping Amazon — and Human Authors’ Earnings Are Paying the Price
An analysis reveals that AI-generated books are flooding Amazon's self-publishing catalog, leading to a significant dilution of earnings for human authors. Despite AI books capturing a smaller percentage of sales and revenue individually, their sheer volume is impacting the overall market, with revenue per book declining across most genres for human-written titles. The study also highlights concerns about language overlap with existing copyrighted works and the lack of transparency from Amazon regarding AI disclosure.
The bigwigs who want AI-generated NPCs and writing think you're too dumb to appreciate a good…
This article argues that the push for AI-generated NPCs and dialogue in video games misunderstands the value of handcrafted details in creating immersive worlds and compelling narratives. The author contends that while AI might offer efficiency, it cannot replicate the creativity and nuance that human writers bring to background chatter, environmental storytelling, and characterization, ultimately leading to shallower game experiences. The piece criticizes industry figures who believe players won't notice or care about the difference, asserting that true game design relies on thoughtful, human-driven content.
How I’m dealing with my video game backlog of 48 titles - Reader's Feature
A reader details their strategy for tackling a personal backlog of 48 video games, categorizing titles and discussing their purchasing habits. They highlight challenges with game length, difficulty, and digital ownership, while also reflecting on completed games and those they've abandoned.
Throne & Liberty delays the Colossus Vegamor update into September ahead of the transition back to NCsoft
Throne & Liberty's Colossus Vegamor update, originally planned for August, has been delayed to September to ensure a smooth transition of publishing duties from Amazon back to NCsoft. This delay aims to allow both teams to focus on the service transition while also delivering a more polished experience for the world boss update.
Where to buy Palword TCG, Dawn of Palpagos stock wiped after launch
The Palworld Trading Card Game, specifically the Dawn of Palpagos set, is experiencing significant stock shortages at major retailers like Walmart and Magic Madhouse. While Amazon is expected to restock, current availability is limited and often at inflated prices. The second set, Legends Awaken, is also facing pre-order sell-outs.
Scabby versus Sharma, Twitch's GenAI admission, and Netflix shutters more studios - Patch Notes #65
Netflix has closed two more internal game studios, Night School Studio and Moonloot Games, despite recent success with its cloud gaming launches. Meanwhile, Twitch confirmed it will use user data to train Amazon's generative AI models by default. In other news, union workers protested Xbox's layoffs with a large inflatable rat and red flags, while the game 'Big Walk' surpassed one million sales and a game preservation project regained funding after previous cuts.
Pokémon TCG: Pitch Black Elite Trainer Boxes Are Back in Stock at Amazon
Amazon has restocked the Pokémon Trading Card Game Pitch Black Elite Trainer Boxes and Booster Bundles. These items are available at prices below TCGplayer market value and are expected to sell out quickly.
Magic: The Gathering's The Hobbit Booster Boxes Secure a New Price Cut on Launch Day
Amazon has discounted Magic: The Gathering's The Hobbit booster boxes on launch day. The article highlights where to find the deal and discusses the most valuable cards within the set.
Evening Reading - August 13, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various game reviews including Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. It also notes that Pokemon Bank will end service in February 2027 and discusses potential AI training on Twitch VODs. Additionally, Crimson Desert's Switch 2 port is rumored for early 2027.
Twitch Chief Product Officer isn't sure if Amazon AI was training on VODs prior to opt-out option
Twitch Chief Product Officer Mike Minton stated that the company is unsure if Amazon AI models were training on Video on Demand content prior to the implementation of an opt-out option. The new policy allows users to opt out of having their past and future content used for AI training. Minton admitted that Twitch did not believe users would voluntarily opt in for AI training, leading to the opt-out approach.
Vague Patch Notes: How Amazon blew up money unnecessarily and left online games unceremoniously
This analysis critiques Amazon's approach to online game publishing, citing the premature cancellation of Crucible and the relinquishing of publishing rights for Blue Protocol and Throne and Liberty back to developers Bandai Namco and NCsoft, respectively. The author argues that Amazon's strategy involved excessive spending and a focus on potential hits rather than fostering the development of its games, contrasting it with the successful turnaround of Final Fantasy XIV.
Throne & Liberty buffs party play and player housing in today’s 4.7.0 update
Amazon has released the 4.7.0 update for Throne & Liberty, which focuses on enhancing party play features with new tools like ready checks and map icon sharing, alongside improved co-op rewards and boss drops. The update also includes quality-of-life improvements from NCsoft, such as better inventory management and expanded player housing options, including the ability to own more homes and visit others. Additionally, the patch introduces weapon balance adjustments for all classes.
Twitch finally allows users to opt out of Amazon AI training after years of silently farming streams
Twitch has introduced an opt-out feature allowing users to prevent their stream content, including VODs, clips, and chat, from being used to train Amazon's generative AI models. This change comes after widespread user criticism and follows admissions from Amazon's chief product officer, Mike Minton, that user data had been silently used for AI training for years. While users can now opt out, the default setting previously allowed data harvesting, and individual chat opt-outs are only effective if the streamer also opts out.
Twitch Is Now Using Channels To Train Generative AI, And The Company Knows It’s Unpopular
Twitch, owned by Amazon, is now using its channels to train generative AI models by default, requiring users to opt-out. Chief product officer Mike Minton acknowledged the unpopularity of this decision, stating it's opt-out because an opt-in system would see no participation. While users can opt-out of channel content training, other AI features like AutoMod remain mandatory.
Twitch will sacrifice you to its AI overlord whether you like it or not
Twitch is facing criticism for using user data to train Amazon's generative AI models by default, requiring users to manually opt-out. Chief product officer Mike Minton stated that an opt-in system would result in very few users participating. Even with an opt-out, content may still be used if users appear on other streams, raising concerns about data privacy and the use of copyrighted material.
Twitch are scraping streams for AI training by default, and even their own execs don’t know what user data may have been swept up
Twitch has admitted to using streamed content for Amazon's AI training by default, requiring users to manually opt-out. This policy has caused outrage among streamers, with executives like Mike Minton conceding uncertainty about what user data may have been included in the scraping. The move also raises concerns about copyright infringement and potential conflicts with game publishers and voice actors.
Twitch is training AI on livestreams, says it's an opt out feature as "nobody would opt in"
Twitch is implementing a new policy to train generative AI models on its livestreams, which will be an opt-out feature by default. This decision has faced significant backlash from the streaming community, who are demanding an opt-in option. Twitch executives Mike Minton and Mary Kish defended the decision, stating that an opt-in system would result in very few users participating.
Twitch under fire for new gen AI training system that harvests streamer data for Amazon, says it's on by default because 'if it was opt-in, nobody would opt in'
Twitch has drawn criticism for its new generative AI training system, which uses streamer content by default for Amazon's AI models. The company's chief product officer, Mike Minton, admitted that the opt-in system was set to default because "if it was opt-in, nobody would opt in." Streamers and industry figures like Mike Futter have raised concerns about data privacy and the potential implications for game developers whose content might be used without explicit consent.
Amazon is severing ties with two other MMOs
Amazon is transferring publishing rights for the MMOs Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty to other companies. This move indicates a shift in Amazon's strategy for its involvement in the massively multiplayer online game market.