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As designers Clint Hocking and Kim Swift join up, Amazon Game Studios sneak peaks 8 new games

Splinter Cell and Portal designers are now onboard

As designers Clint Hocking and Kim Swift join up, Amazon Game Studios sneak peaks 8 new games

Whatever the initial reaction to Amazon's Fire TV launch, it seems that the ecommerce giant is taking its internal talent seriously.

It's been confirmed that two well-known game designers are now working at Amazon Game Studios.

Clint Hocking, ex of Ubisoft, LucasArts and Valve; and of Splinter Cell and ludo narrative dissonance fame, has been with Amazon since February.

Another ex-Valver now at Amazon Game Studios is Portal designer Kim Swift, who joined in April.

A long haul?

While the main focus of the Fire TV announcement was its streaming TV and movie capabilities, Amazon has been slowly building up its game capabilities during 2014.

In February, it acquired Killer Instinct developer Double Helix, calling it "part of our ongoing commitment to build innovative games for customers".

To-date, it's released two low key mobile titles Air Patriots and Simplz: Zoo, while shooter Sev Zero was the one exclusive revealed as part of Fire TV launch. It requires use of the Amazon game controller.

And as this sneak peak video of in-development games demonstrates, Amazon is currently working on a slate of titles - we counted at - least eight - across genres ranging from cute 3D adventures to RPGs, action side-scrollers, TD shooters and abstract origami sims. 



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Contributing Editor

A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.