Amazon is actively hiring game developers to enter the gaming industry for an "ambitious" gaming project, according to a job posting from the company.
In fact, the company has 26 positions open for game developers, and while that might not be much compared with some of the larger game development companies out there, it does suggest that this isn't just an experiment by Amazon.
"Amazon Game Studios is hiring! Make games at one of the most innovative companies in tech! We are currently hard at work on a project that will provide the right candidates with the potential to work on game experiences that push the boundaries of technology," says the job posting.
Successful entrants will join a team of developers who have worked on projects like Half Life 2, Dota 2, Halo, The Last of Us and Shadows of Morder. While it is clear that Amazon is looking to enter gaming, the posting doesn't really suggest what kinds of games the company will release. It does seem as though the company is looking toward PC gaming, however, which would make sense considering its larger focus on computers and connected devices.
The news comes after Amazon purchased game streaming company Twitch last year for a massive $970 million. It is likely that any game that Amazon releases will be heavily featured on Twitch.
"Amazon is committed to gamers, and building great teams who are excited to use Twitch, the AWS cloud, and technical innovation to radically evolve gameplay," continued Amazon. "We believe that games have just scratched the surface in their power to unite players and will produce some of the future's most influential voices in media and art."
Of course, while any serious gaming will be considered the company's entrance into the larger gaming industry, the company has developed free-to-play games for Facebook since 2012. It has also developed a few mobile games.
It makes sense that the company would want to enter gaming, which is an industry that is fast growing. In fact, entire ecosystems of gaming are being built, with serious money also being found in game streaming, which is largely why it bought Twitch.
It will certainly be interesting to see if Amazon can make a mark on the gaming industry, or if its entrance into gaming turns out to be another attempt at something it could never do. While it does own Twitch, it has yet to change Twitch in a big way.
