AWS RoboMaker shuts down after failing to gain traction

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has officially discontinued RoboMaker, its cloud-based robotics simulation platform launched in 2018. RoboMaker enabled large-scale simulation using the open-source Gazebo physics engine, allowing users to run thousands of randomized environments and generate pass/fail metrics. However, the service failed to gain traction beyond its initial major customer, iRobot, which valued the ability to simulate diverse home environments for its Roomba robots. Sources familiar with RoboMaker indicated that the product was essentially developed for iRobot’s specific needs and lacked broader market fit, as most robotics companies require far fewer simulations and did not see enough value in the platform’s scale or cost. AWS has encouraged RoboMaker users to transition to AWS Batch, which supports multi-container workloads, offers better cost control through Spot instances, and integrates more flexibly with various compute environments. Unlike RoboMaker, Batch can handle any containerized workload and scale from small to large simulations, making it a more versatile solution for robotics development. Notably,