Amazon’s big (and expensive) game-industry ambitions

The term “game publisher” probably elicits thoughts of Nintendo with its stable of beloved characters or Activision’s massive releases like Call of Duty and Destiny. Soon, however, that phrase may make you think of Amazon instead.

While the company is best known as an online retailer that specializes in carrying an unbelievable variety of products, it is planning a future in media production. And the medium it seems most interested in right now is gaming. Amazon has made a number of moves, acquisitions, and hires over the last few years that emphasize its desire to enter the gaming market — and it makes sense. We’re talking about a multibillion-dollar industry on consoles, on PC, and on mobile. As one of the top retail outlets in the world, Amazon has an idea of what the biggest titles pull in, and it likely realizes that it can break into the market and establish a strong new revenue stream by only spending a billion dollars here or there.