Amazon entered the cloud gaming sector with Luna in 2020, however the rollout has been gradual since then.
It took 18 months for the service to be out there to most of the people within the US, and one other yr for any worldwide availability. Even now it is just out there in 4 nations.
Regardless of this, being a competitor to the likes of Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now can solely be a very good factor, particularly with Google Stadia closed. Here is every part you want to find out about Amazon Luna.
When was Amazon Luna launched?
Luna was initially unveiled at Amazon’s September 2020 occasion, although the corporate did not say when the service can be usually out there on the time.
It turned out that will be virtually 18 months later. After an intensive “early entry” part, Luna lastly turned out there to most of the people within the US in March 2022.
A yr later, in March 2023, the service launched within the UK, Canada and Germany. It is now out there in all 4 nations and works the identical means it does within the US.
Amazon presumably nonetheless has plans to make it out there elsewhere, but it surely’s not clear when that will probably be.
How a lot does Amazon Luna value?
Luna is offered to anybody within the US, UK, Canada and Germany, with a core subscription to Luna+ that prices $9.99 / £8.99 per thirty days. A 7-day free trial can be out there.
However in case you already subscribe to Amazon Prime, you possibly can entry some content material with out paying additional. A rotating number of playable video games adjustments recurrently, so examine the Amazon website for the newest info – these must be the identical in all nations.
If the Luna+ and Prime Gaming lineups do not attraction to you, there’s additionally the choice to join Ubisoft Plus. This prices $17.99 / £14.99 per thirty days, however provides you entry to high-profile titles comparable to Watch Canine: Legion, Murderer’s Creed Valhalla and Far Cry 6.
Each assist as much as 1080p decision at 60fps, however you are restricted to at least one gadget at a time on Ubisoft+ whereas Luna+ helps two.
Different choices embody a subscription devoted to Jackbox’s social gathering video games ($4.99 / £3.99) and traditional titles within the Retro channel ($4.99). The latter shouldn’t be out there within the UK.
There’s additionally a $2.99 Household Channel, which has a variety of kid-friendly video games and helps native co-op. Every of those plans can work independently or be mixed – you not should pay for Luna first to get Ubisoft+.
The Luna Controller, designed for use alongside the service, can be out there for anybody within the US and UK to buy. It normally prices $69.99/£59.99and there is additionally the choice to mix it with a telephone clip attachment within the US ($84.98). Within the UK it’s bought individually for £12.99.
Nonetheless, Luna additionally works with the Xbox One controller, DualShock 4 (PS4) or only a common mouse and keyboard.
The way to be part of Luna
With Luna not having early entry, issues could not be simpler. Simply go to the Luna web page at Amazon USA or Amazon UK and log in to your account. Then click on ‘Play free of charge with Prime’ or buy one of many different plans.
Like the complete Prime subscription, you possibly can cancel at any time.
Bear in mind that is solely out there in case you’re within the US, UK, Canada or Germany, though you could possibly get round that requirement with a VPN.
What do I have to play Amazon Luna?
A significant promoting level of Luna is the flexibility to “play on the gadgets you already personal”. Up to now, the service is offered on PC, Mac, Hearth TV, Android (although not all gadgets), and iOS – the latter by way of an online app. That is a part of the continued early entry interval, with US prospects signing up on the Amazon website after which be invited to play.
On the time of writing, the next Hearth gadgets are appropriate with Luna:
- Hearth TV Stick Lite
- Hearth TV Stick (2nd and third Gen)
- Hearth TV Stick 4K and 4K Max
- Hearth TV (third Era)
- Hearth TV Dice
- Hearth TV Omni sequence
- Hearth TV 4 sequence
- Toshiba Hearth TV Version
- Insignia Hearth TV Version
- Hearth 7 Pill (2019)
- Hearth HD 8 Pill (2018 or 2020)
- Hearth HD 10 Pill (2019 or 2021)
On the official support pageAmazon encourages customers to make sure related gadgets are up to date to the newest model of Hearth OS.
All different gadgets are nonetheless in early entry. Android assist is proscribed to the next gadgets on the time of writing, although Amazon plans to increase assist over time:
- Pixel 3, 3XL, 3a, 3a XL, 4XL, 4a, 4a 5G, 5, 6, 6 Professional, 7, 7 Professional
- Samsung Galaxy S9, S9 Plus, Word 9, S10, S10 Plus, Word 10, Word 10 Plus, S20, S20 Plus, S20 Extremely, Word 20, Word 20 Extremely, S21, S21+, S21 Extremely, S22, Z Fold 3
- OnePlus 7, 7 Professional, 7 Professional 5G, 8, 8 Professional, Nord, Nord N10, Nord N100, 7T, 7T Professional, 7T Professional 5G
All Home windows 10 or 11 gadgets with DirectX 11 is supported, whilst you want a 2014 or later Mac with a minimum of macOS Excessive Sierra. It’s attainable to run Luna by way of a browser, however Amazon warns that “the gameplay high quality and different options could not work as anticipated”.
In August 2022, Samsung additionally confirmed that Luna is offered on Samsung Good TVs and Good Displays launched in 2022. That is completed by way of the corporate’s new ‘Samsung Gaming Hub’ platform.
On the iPhone and iPad, you will need to use Safari on a tool operating iOS 14.
Nonetheless, there’s one requirement it doesn’t matter what gadget you play on. You will want a minimum of a ten Mbps web connection, although Amazon recommends utilizing an Ethernet cable or 5 GHz Wi-Fi every time attainable.
Whilst you can play Luna with a keyboard and mouse or another Bluetooth controller, Amazon encourages you to select up the devoted Luna controller. It seems virtually equivalent to the one you will discover on Xbox, and can probably provide an analogous expertise. Nonetheless, the Luna Controller has additional methods up its sleeve: Alexa integration and the flexibility to seamlessly change between gadgets.
Amazon Luna Video games
Amazon Luna now contains an intensive number of completely different video games. These range relying on the plan you select, however the full lists can be found on the Amazon website.
Video games are added each month, with the brand new additions for Luna+ subscribers in July 2023 as follows:
However even in case you’re only a common Prime member, you possibly can entry the next new video games at no additional value by way of Prime Gaming:
- Scorching Wheels: Unleashed
- Metallic snail
- Endzone: a world aside
- Electronic mail Mol
Particulars on all of those video games could be discovered within the related Amazon Luna weblog publish. On the primary web page of the Luna weblog you possibly can study extra about different titles which were added not too long ago.
That features Fortnite, the acclaimed survival sport from Epic Video games. It is out there to all Amazon Prime members, or by way of a Luna+ subscription in case you want. There isn’t any strategy to entry it free of charge, not like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now, although the latter limits you to at least one hour per session.
Not like the opposite titles above, Fortnite will probably be out there indefinitely – it will not be leaving the platform for the foreseeable future. Nearly all video games on Luna additionally assist cross-platform play, so you possibly can be part of forces with pals on one other cloud gaming service, console or PC.
Along with the lineup of video games, there’s integration with Twitch, Amazon’s gaming-focused streaming service. Throughout the Luna “expertise” gamers will see the choice to observe a related Twitch stream, whereas there can even be the choice to start out taking part in instantly inside the Twitch app.
The official picture beneath provides you an concept of what the Luna person expertise is like, with Twitch streams and screenshots built-in into the primary display screen for every sport.
We’ll replace this text as extra particulars about Luna are revealed. Within the meantime, try our roundup of the very best sport streaming companies to see what it is as much as.
