Quick Links
Gaming subscription services have become quite common in recent years, and the same can be said for cloud gaming. Some services even combine the two; Xbox Game Pass has Xbox Cloud Gaming, while PS Now allows all of its games to be streamed. Amazon Luna is the latest addition to this sphere, officially launching on March 1, 2022.
What exactly does Luna offer that sets it apart from the crowd? How much does it cost? What games are included? How is its performance? These are all questions that interested parties will find themselves asking while considering whether a Luna subscription is for them.
Here is a breakdown of the Amazon Luna service.
What Exactly Is Amazon Luna?
Amazon Luna is a pure cloud gaming service, one designed to make it as simple as possible for people to access high-profile games regardless of whether they have a modern console or decent PC. The goal of this service is to remove hardware restrictions; all somebody needs to play Luna's games is a supported device, a subscription, a decent internet connection, and some type of controller.
All subscribers need to do to start a game is select "Play". There are no installs, downloads, or updates necessary. Now, the service's performance is dependent on the user's internet service. Games streamed at 1080p will roughly consume 10GB/hour, while an internet speed of 10 Mbps is recommended.
Where Is Amazon Luna Available?
Presently, Luna is only available in mainland United States. There is currently no information on when or if the service will be expanded to other territories.
Does Luna Require A Prime Membership?
No. Prime subscribers do get a couple of free Luna games per month, but membership is not required to use the cloud gaming service.
Amazon Luna's Supported Devices
Accessibility, simplicity, and freedom of choice seem to be Luna's cornerstones. As such, the service presents subscribers with a respectable selection of devices they can use to stream games.
Along with downloading the Amazon Luna app on Windows and Mac, people can just open Chrome and get things started by visiting their Luna page. This extends beyond PC or Chromebook users, as Android owners can also stream their library through Chrome. iPhone and iPad players can use the Safari browser.
Here are all the devices that support Amazon Luna and their requirements:
|
Devices |
Requirements |
|---|---|
|
Windows App |
|
|
Mac App |
|
|
Chromebook |
|
|
Chrome Browser |
|
|
Fire TV/Tablet |
|
|
iPhone/iPad |
|
|
Android |
|
Does Luna Have Official Accessories?
To coincide with the launch of Luna, Amazon released an official controller for the service. A wireless periphery, the Luna Controller has a design reminiscent of the Xbox controller.
When connected through Cloud Direct, the Luna Controller should produce an improved response time, reducing the latency. Alternatively, the controller can be connected through Bluetooth or even USB, and it can be used for general PC and mobile gaming that has nothing to do with Luna.
The Luna controller costs $69.99.
What About Other Controllers?
Luna also supports third-party controllers, with Amazon specifying mentioning that the PS4's DualShock 4 wireless controller and the Xbox One controller are compatible with the service. Other controllers might also work, but it will depend on their drivers and features. If someone has a controller, they should try it with Amazon Luna.
How Much Does An Amazon Luna Subscription Cost?
Now, the big question: how much will an Amazon Luna subscription set someone back? Well, the price depends on what a person is searching for. Similar to Prime Video, Amazon Luna splits its library into channels that each come with their own price tag and selection of games. Consequently, players are free to pick a category that best suits their needs.
What Are All The Amazon Luna Channels?
Here are all the Amazon Luna channels and the differences between them:
The Founder Price expires by the end of March 2022; however, pre-existing users will keep that price until they cancel their subscriptions.
Luna+
- Price: $5.99/month (Founder Price); $9.99/month (Standard Price from April 1, 2022)
- One Week Free Trial
Arguably the "main" Amazon Luna channel, Luna+ comes with more than a hundred games, and that number is likely to grow moving forward. The channel covers a rather wide spectrum of genres, ranging from JRPGs and horror titles to sports and racing games.
While most of the channel's catalog can be found on other streaming services such as Xbox Game Pass and PS Now, there are a few notable exceptions: The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3 & 4, No More Heroes 1 & 2, Chorus, and Judgment, just to name a few.
Retro
- Price: $4.99/month
- One Week Free Trial
Celebrating the legends of yesteryear, Amazon Luna's Retro channel brings together dozens of arcade and classic titles. This library is great but also clearly curated for a specific audience, so this channel won't be for everyone.
Fans looking to revisit some of SNK's best fighters or Konami's 2D Castlevania entries will find what they are looking for within Luna's Retro channel.
Family
- Price: $2.99/month (Founder Price); $5.99/month (Standard Price from April 1, 2022)
- One Week Free Trial
Luna's Family channel offers entertainment suitable for all ages, with all the 40+ games being child-friendly. "Hardcore" gamers will probably not get too much mileage from this subscription, but it is a solid budget-friendly option for parents trying to ease their kids into the vast world of gaming.
This channel includes an array of licensed games (of varying quality): SpongeBob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated, Garfield Kart Furious Racing, Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion, and Transformers Battlegrounds.
Ubisoft+
- Price: $17.99/month
The most expensive Amazon Luna option, this channel is different from all the rest since the package also includes a standard Ubisoft+ subscription. Consequently, along with streaming the 30+ Ubisoft games that are on Amazon Luna, PC players can also install the Ubisoft Connect app and download more than a hundred games.
While anyone who is only interested in the downloadable games should subscribe to Ubisoft+ on its own, the Luna version presents an easy way for people to experience Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Far Cr 6 without needing a high-end PC or console.
Jackbox Games
- Price: $4.99/month
Amazon Luna's Jackbox Games channel comes with all eight party packs, making it an unbeatable package for social gatherings. With 40 minigames that cater to a wide range of group sizes and game types, Jackbox Games is a predictable crowd-pleaser, and the Luna channel simplifies the process of accessing these games by reducing the requirements to a little more than a portable device.
How To Access Your Luna Games On Chrome?
After subscribing to one or more channels, players just need to open Chrome and head to amazon.com/luna/. From there, they can select Library to see every game they have access to. This page combines all the games in the user's subscribed channels, but a range of sorting options are available to organize the selection.
From there, launching a game only requires selecting a title than, once its page loads, pressing Play Now. That's it.