Amazon Game Studios and Glowmade are shutting down King of Meat, a cooperative platformer, just six months after its launch on . The game, which allowed players to create and complete user-generated dungeons, will cease operations on .
The decision to sunset King of Meat stems from its failure to attract a substantial player base, according to Glowmade. The Guildford-based studio will end its investment in the project and disable the game servers. In-app purchases have already been disabled, and the title has been removed from digital storefronts.
Players who purchased the game will receive a full refund, processed automatically through their respective platform provider – Steam, PlayStation Store, or others – between and . This includes refunds for any premium currency, known as “Stamps,” that players may have purchased.
“We want to sincerely thank every player who supported King of Meat and the wonderful community that formed around it,” Glowmade stated on its website. “Your enthusiasm, imagination, and feedback have meant the world to us and to the team at Glowmade. We’re grateful for Glowmade’s partnership and passion throughout this journey and wish them continued success in the future.”
The failure of King of Meat highlights the challenges facing new live-service games. These titles require sustained player engagement to remain viable, and a slow start can be difficult to overcome. The game’s reliance on user-generated content (UGC) was a key feature, aiming to provide a constantly evolving experience, but ultimately wasn’t enough to build a lasting audience.
Data from SteamDB indicates that King of Meat peaked at 320 concurrent players on Steam approximately three months ago. Information regarding player numbers on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S is currently unavailable. Polygon’s early impressions of the game noted difficulties in matchmaking, even on the PlayStation 5, suggesting a limited player base from the outset.
Amazon’s foray into game development has been marked by several high-profile cancellations and underperforming titles. The shutdown of King of Meat follows the recent announcement that Amazon’s MMO, New World: Aeternum, will be discontinued in 2027. This pattern raises questions about Amazon’s long-term strategy in the competitive gaming market.
The game’s marketing included a collaboration with YouTube star MrBeast and promotion at The Game Awards, indicating a significant investment from Amazon. Despite this, the game failed to achieve the player counts Amazon reportedly aimed for – numbers in the hundreds of thousands. This suggests that marketing spend alone isn’t sufficient to guarantee success in the crowded gaming landscape.
While King of Meat received mostly positive reviews on Steam, critics were less enthusiastic, according to aggregate review data. This discrepancy suggests that while the core concept resonated with some players, it didn’t translate into widespread appeal. The game’s reliance on a consistent stream of user-created content may have also presented a challenge, requiring ongoing moderation and quality control.
Glowmade has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the impact of the shutdown on the studio’s future operations. The cancellation of King of Meat serves as a cautionary tale for developers and publishers alike, demonstrating the risks inherent in the live-service game model and the importance of achieving critical mass early in a game’s lifecycle.
