After Crysis developer Crytek’s financial problems last year, numerous sources have told Kotaku that the company has formed an alliance with Amazon. Well, we didn’t expect that, did we?!

Four sources told Kotaku that Amazon agreed to a licensing deal for CryEngine 3, Crytek’s game-making toolset. Sources that have heard about the deal (and who do not have the authorisation to speak publicly) have commented that Crytek’s deal with Amazon is substantial enough to help pull Crytek out of the financial challenges it faced last year.

Crytek co-founder Faruk Yerli referenced a blockbuster deal that he hoped to talk about soon in an interview with Develop last month:

“It was a huge one, probably the biggest one,” he said at the time. “I can’t say anything more in detail, but hopefully we’ll be able to announce it with the partner soon.”

No one knows anything yet about what Amazon plans to do with CryEngine 3, a popular engine used for Crytek’s own games as well as Evolve among other titles.

So it seems crystal clear now that Amazon is moving heavily into the gaming industry. The company has hired big talent in the form of Portal designer Kim Swift and Far Cry 2’s Clint Hocking, and Halo writer Erik Nylund, all of which are working on unannounced projects with Amazon.