Amazon has launched a free-to-download 3D game development engine known as Lumberyard (currently in beta), available for devs to use on PC and consoles, alongside a multiplayer service named GameLift. It's part of an increased interest in games for the online retailer, who currently has its own game studio and platform in Amazon Fire. The company also wons Twitch.Lumberyard is available entirely for free, according to Amazon, and there's no need for studios to share their revenue with the company. Amazon makes its money through Amazon Web Services that devs use to build or support their games, while GameLift charges a $1.50 fee per 1000 daily active users, in addition to standard fees for other Amazon Web Services.Furthermore, Lumberyard also comes with Twitch integration, enabling developers to take advantage of streaming features and the huge built-in audience that the live streaming service provides. Twitch ChatPlay also enables chat members to participate in 'Twitch Plays' style audience participation.Amazon's Lumberyard supports Xbox One, PS4 and PC, and in the next couple of months, the company will be adding support for mobile and VR. Watch the intro video below and read Amazon's press release here to find out more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdU1s1FGTDY
