Starting in early 2027, Amazon Game Studios will end its live service operations for Lost Ark in the West, with Smilegate taking over going forward and handing the game back to the developers. This will allow Lost Ark to continue in the West, but without the involvement of Amazon Game Studios.
“Whether you joined us on day one or discovered Arkesia more recently, you are the heart of this community. Every raid completed, every tap, and every friendship forged along the way are moments that exist because of you. Your feedback and passion have been instrumental in evolving Arkesia into the world it is today,” said the game’s communication team in an update posted to the Lost Ark website.
“While this marks the end of Amazon Game Studios’ service of Lost Ark in the West, we want to acknowledge that Arkesia will continue to thrive here and other regions where Smilegate supports the game. The bonds formed in Arkesia will live on.”
Amazon Game Studios has confirmed that no changes will be made to players’ Steam accounts, characters, progression or inventory, platform (Steam), or game data and entitlements, such as wallet balances or access to the game itself, unless players opt out.
Things that are changing include the publisher, customer support provider, in-game store operator, refund policy for purchases made after the transition and the Terms of Service (all players will be asked to access new ToS from Smilegate).
The following will transfer: all preset names (gear, gem, skin, skill, etc.), ship names, stronghold slot/playlist names, map and combat memos, chat macros, NPC renames, and game progression data.
The following player data will not be included in the transition:
- In-game mail (titles and body content)
- Friends list memos and group names
- Blacklist memos
- Guild member nicknames and memos
- Stronghold gift messages and quiz data
- Chat message and chat history
So if players have items in their mail that they want to keep, it would be wise to claim them before the transition date, which is yet to be confirmed.
The transition is targeted for early 2027. Between now and then, Lost Ark continues to operate under Amazon Game Studios. You’ll continue to receive content updates, events, and support as usual.