Amazon Games cancels Project Trident, a comedic action game
Intelligence Summary
- Amazon Games has canceled Project Trident, a third-person comedic action game set in a Norse world with generative AI.
Amazon Games cancels Project Trident, a comedic action game
Amazon Games has announced that Project Trident, a third-person action game in development, has been canceled. The game was set in a Norse-inspired world and featured comedic elements through a fictional parody company called Valhalla Ventures. Players would have been hired by the company and sent off on an adventure.
About Project Trident
Project Trident was intended to be an innovative game that used generative AI for communication between the player and non-player characters (NPCs). This technology played a crucial role in the gameplay, with strategies for both combat and puzzle solving. For example, players would have had to say or type the name of a special attack from the Norse god Thor aloud to execute it.
Gameplay and features
One of Project Trident’s standout features was that players could recruit other characters by using spoken words. The concept was reminiscent of voice commands in the popular RPG Skyrim. Project Trident originally began years ago with a different approach; it was first being developed as a four-player co-op action game with a more serious tone, in which players would take on giant monsters, similar to the gameplay of Shadow of the Colossus.
Changes and cancellation
In mid-2024, Amazon Games introduced an "AI mandate" that encouraged developers to add more AI features to Project Trident. This felt like a forced decision to many team members, creating frustration and concern within the team. Despite initial hopes that generative AI could be used in a responsible and creative way, the pressure and expectations led to a less ambitious version of the project. An Amazon Games spokesperson said AI was not the reason for the cancellation, but that it was instead tied to a strategic shift within the company.
Timeline
2026-05-14: Amazon canceled Project Trident.
Mid-2024: Amazon Games introduced the "AI mandate."
Years earlier: Development began with a different concept as a four-player co-op action game.
Future projects
Although Project Trident has now been canceled, Amazon Games remains focused on other projects, including a new game in The Lord of the Rings universe. The studio said it will continue supporting its team in creating innovative and immersive game experiences, with creativity and responsibility at the center.