Play without a console or PC

The idea behind Amazon Luna is to make live gaming streaming largely unnecessary. The offering has potential, but it could still be expanded.

Music, movies and series are streamed, and now games are also streamed. That's the idea behind Amazon's Luna service, which has also been available in Austria since mid-June. Luna users no longer have to buy games and, most importantly, they don't need dedicated gaming consoles or PCs, but can use any currently available device. Luna is played via the browser on your cell phone, tablet or computer. The TV can be played using a Fire TV stick. (The latest Samsung and LG models also don't.) It is controlled via mouse and keyboard, or – even better – with a controller for PS4 or XBox One. Amazon also has its own Luna controller for 70 euros. It has not been tested, but the Luna Couch is mentioned, with which you can invite Amazon customers (even without a Luna subscription) to multiplayer games, as well as the option to share content from Luna on Twitch.

Getting started is very easy. You can access Luna in your browser via the Amazon homepage or directly luna.amazon.de On a Fire TV-enabled TV, you can select the controller icon and be right in the middle of selecting a game. For starters, it will take some trial and error at first until you figure out which button on the controller selects and starts the games. Loading times are kept within acceptable limits, and depending on the game, they can be quite long, including the intro. A bit annoying: for some games, you also have to register with the publisher. Important: The games themselves run smoothly, and the controls respond without any noticeable lag — provided you have a sufficient internet connection for standard streaming.

Missing blockbusters

The selection available depends on the subscription in question. With Amazon Prime, which many people have anyway, there is a basic stock that is currently expanded to over 100 titles with Luna+ (around ten euros per month). The most famous names include Fallout3, Fortnite and various Lego games. There are also a number of racing games, such as Sega's Sonic. Surprisingly, few titles are suitable for casual games without education. What is completely missing are the current big titles. It is very interesting to be able to play games via Luna that you have already purchased on platforms such as Epic, Ubisoft and GOG (but not Steam). Compatible games, beware. In my case, unfortunately, this does not apply to any of the classics I bought on GOG, such as Doom or Wing Commander. Others may have better luck with their collection.

A word about Amazon’s controller: It matches its usual competitors in function and design, has good pressure points, and leaves a solid impression overall. Because it connects to Luna online with the push of a button, then becomes automatically available on any device, Luna is even more fun. The fact that it doubles as a Fire TV remote during game breaks is a plus.

Conclusion: The idea of ​​largely decoupling games from hardware—for a nominal fee—is an attractive one. Amazon has executed the concept quite convincingly. The main and current weakness is the core library. For me personally (also due to disappointment with GOG titles) the glass is half empty at the moment. But it can still be filled. In any case, it’s worth trying Luna and seeing what’s on offer in the future.