Amazon Games’ development studio Glowmade is reportedly facing significant layoffs in January 2026. This comes in the wake of a severely underperforming launch for their game, "King of Meat," which failed to meet internal player count expectations by a vast margin, despite a substantial marketing investment.
Key Takeaways
- Glowmade, a developer for Amazon Games, is set to lay off staff in early 2026.
- The layoffs are a direct consequence of the "disastrous launch" of the game "King of Meat."
- The game significantly missed internal targets for concurrent players.
- Despite a large marketing budget, player numbers were a fraction of the expected goal.
Disastrous Launch Of ‘King Of Meat’
Sources familiar with the situation revealed to Insider Gaming that "King of Meat" experienced a "disastrous launch." Internal documentation indicated a target of at least 100,000 concurrent players across all platforms. However, the game struggled to consistently reach even 1,000 players, with SteamDB reporting a peak of just 320 concurrent players.
This performance is particularly disappointing given the considerable investment in marketing. The promotional efforts included a dedicated video from MrBeast’s Gaming YouTube channel, featuring a custom set and numerous content creators, as well as eye-catching marketing stunts like custom-wrapped buses in London and an animated TV show pilot.
Layoffs Amidst Assurances
Discussions regarding voluntary redundancies began earlier this month, impacting approximately a dozen employees. This news comes as a shock to some, as leadership had reportedly assured staff earlier in the year that the studio had sufficient resources to continue operations. Employees speaking anonymously stated they were not authorized to discuss internal company communications.
The future of "King of Meat" and any other projects at Glowmade remains uncertain following these developments.
