Have you tried Amazon Luna in the years it’s been available? If not, we’re getting closer to a time where it’s an easy recommend for gamers, casual and hardcore alike.
Let’s be honest, getting into high-end gaming these days can feel overwhelming. Which console do you buy? Do you need a gaming PC that costs more than a used car?
Amazon Luna is trying to be the middleman. Giving you the chance to play blockbuster titles like Hogwarts Legacy or the new Indiana Jones game with the same ease as streaming a movie on Netflix.
Over the past couple of years, the premise has been solid, but the execution has been a bit hit or miss. It’s never bad, per se. It’s just never been great. Now, Amazon have doubled down on Luna and they’re trying to make it the de facto online game streaming platform. It might actually be turning a corner and becoming the platform it wants to be.
Play what you want, where you want
Amazon Luna is a cloud gaming service, which is a fancy way of saying the game runs on Amazon’s servers, and you just stream the video feed. This means no more massive downloads, no updates to install, and no need for a console or PC.
If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you already have access to Luna’s rotating library of games.
You can play on the devices you already own:
- Windows PC or Mac (Chrome or Edge only….)
- Fire TV and Fire tablets
- Chromebooks
- iPhone or Android phone
- Even select Samsung and LG Smart TVs!
You can use the dedicated Luna Controller, which connects directly to the cloud for low-latency gaming. Or just sync up an Xbox or PlayStation controller you have lying around.
Heck, even a good old-fashioned keyboard and mouse will work.
Host a “GameNight”
This is where Luna gets really interesting for the casual crowd. Amazon has now introduced GameNight, a new feature designed for social, local co-op fun.
Instead of scrounging for four controllers (and hoping they’re all charged), GameNight lets everyone use their smartphone as a controller. It’s perfect for a spontaneous party.
With over 25 social games like Exploding Kittens, Draw & Guess, and the Luna-exclusive Courtroom Chaos with Snoop Dogg (yes, really), it’s built to get the whole room laughing.
How to start playing right now
Ready to try it? There’s no complicated sign-up.
- If you’re an Amazon Prime member: Congratulations, you’re already a cloud gamer. Just download the Luna app on your device of choice, log in, and start playing.
- If you’re not a Prime member: This might just be the feature that tips the scales. You can sign up and get instant access to Luna, alongside all the other Prime benefits.
Amazon is stripping away the cost and complexity that has kept so many people out of gaming. By including Luna with Prime, they’re making it as simple and accessible as possible.
Gaming vs Casual Gaming
My biggest gripe with Luna has been the latency in games that require essentially 0 input lag. Even using the Luna controller (a lovely controller in its own right, by the way) doesn’t mitigate it fully.
The casual games, like Sonic the Hedgehog or some of the party games, etc, are perfect. They feel smooth; input isn’t so time-sensitive. This is where the Luna platform sings. And you know what, through a browser on a laptop or PC feels better than through my Fire TV.
Playing Fortnite through Luna isn’t the optimal way to play at all. But…..it’s not the end of the world to drop and do your dailies quickly, when you can’t get sat down at the TV/PC to properly get a session going.
What’s impressed me the most is the inclusion of some big AAA titles like Indiana Jones. Which can be played nicely, as the pace required isn’t that of an always-online PvP shooter. Yes, reactions are important, but it isn’t make-or-break in the same way.
This is where Amazon Luna can really shine. You could easily play the entirety of something like Cyberpunk 2077 on here and get the full experience. No hardware required. I’m not sure those gamers are primed for this market yet, as it feels like a nicer entry for more casual players.
If Luna can stay the course and add more massive titles to its catalogue. I think we might start to see things swing in their direction. Xbox is seemingly doing all it can to mess up Game Pass and its XCloud service. Amazon could quietly pick up the pieces and give Prime subscribers this massive added benefit.
For even more opinion pieces like this, click right here.
Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. This means, things you purchase through them may earn us a commission. All money raised gets put back into site operations, so anything you buy is appreciated. However, you by no means have to use them. So, don’t worry about it if you don’t.
