What is Amazon Luna? (How It Works, Channels and Pricing)

Amazon Luna is a high bandwidth-reliant gaming platform; you need a high-speed internet connection to enjoy it! So, how does Amazon Luna work, and is it worth trying? What are the gaming requirements? Read on to learn more.

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What is Amazon Luna?

Amazon Luna is a cloud-based gaming platform built by Amazon Web Services (AWS). This service lets you stream games directly to your smartphone, PC, or console. You can enjoy the convenience of gaming without having to download, update the gaming app, or even worry about your device's storage capacity.

How Does Amazon Luna Work?

Like other cloud gaming platforms like Xbox Cloud Gaming service, Amazon Luna features a Netflix-of-games-style list of games that falls under a monthly subscription plan. Amazon Luna has a range of channels that you can utilize to unlock extra content from a particular publisher at an extra monthly fee. Presently, Luna has five paid channels that you can check out.

Even though you don't need specific hardware to enjoy Amazon Luna, the company has a dedicated controller for $49.99. This controller has an in-built WiFi receiver that separates it from relying on other internet sources and thus reducing input latency. After all, online gaming requires reliable internet; otherwise, you will lose almost every game.

Therefore, this controller is worth its cost. Luna differentiates itself from other cloud gaming services by offering Luna Couch, which offers a couch co-op mode in the cloud. Provided the host has an active monthly subscription plan, non-paying players can also join and play along.

Amazon Luna Channels and Pricing

Just like Amazon's video streaming channels, Amazon Luna has multiple channels. Initially, this gaming platform only had two channels. Recently, Amazon introduced three extra Amazon Luna channels that Amazon Prime subscribers have free access to a handful of games monthly. Amazon Luna channels include;

Luna+ Channel: It is the primary channel on Amazon Luna and comes with over a hundred different games. They range from JRPGs to racing to horror video games. Even though most of this channel's selections show that it fits all ages, the channel contains more horror games making it ideal for grownups than children. The channel currently costs about $9.99 per month.
Family Channel: This is a family-friendly gaming channel. It features a lineup of titles that are predominantly made for young children. You might find this channel boring if you are a seasoned gamer. However, this package is excellent and affordable if you want to ease your young ones into the gaming world! The beauty of this package is it has games that parents can play with their kids. This channel will cost you around $5.99 per month.
Jackbox Games Channel: The channel features some of the best casual trivia games for parties (locally or remotely), thanks to the comedy-like activities involved in the fun. Jackbox games are perfect for streaming services like Luna, as they demand good latency to play well. The Jackbox games channel will cost you at least $4.99 per month.
Ubisoft+ Channel: This is the most expensive gaming channel on Amazon Luna. It offers some of the simplest, best, and most recent games developed by Ubisoft. With the Ubisoft+ subscription, you can stream over 30 games through Lunar. Besides, you can download Ubisoft+'s more comprehensive library via the Ubisoft Connect PC app. The monthly subscription cost for this package is $17.99.
Retro Channel: This package combines classic and latest-released remastered titles. Get access to a library full of iconic fighting ad run 'n' gun games and a few non-arcade titles. This gaming channel will cost you approximately $4.99 monthly.

Note: Currently, Amazon Luna is only available within the US. There is no communication from the company regarding the worldwide release of the Amazon Luna. Therefore, if you reside outside the USA, you will not have an opportunity to try the Amazon Luna games.

Amazon Luna UK Released

As of the time of writing this post, there is no direct communication from Amazon about Amazon Luna in the UK. This streaming service is still only available for users domiciled in the US.

Amazon Luna Gaming Requirements

Amazon Luna will work well on your Mac or PC through Amazon Fire Tv devices, Safari (for iPhones and iPads), and via standalone clients or Chrome for Android devices. However, don't anticipate enjoying 4K HDR graphics as you would from Google Stadia. Amazon Luna restricts its graphics to 1080p and 60 frames/second.

According to Amazon, the 4K graphics support is coming soon, which will be supported by an internet speed of at least 35Mbps. For internet connectivity, Amazon recommends you use at least 10Mbps when streaming any 1080p over Luna. Besides, your WiFi network should operate at 5GHz. However, you can compromise on resolution and choose the 720p streaming option if you have low bandwidth. The low bandwidth option is ideal for avid gamers playing on limited data bundles.

If you own a smart TV or Amazon Fire TV-based device, you can use your smartphone as a controller when playing lunar games;

Download the Luna Controller application for Android or iOS.
Launch the app and start using it as a touch controller for gaming on your TV.

However, this type of controller is only ideal for casual games and not for games that require an actual physical controller.

So, Is Amazon Luna Worth it?

Looking at the features of Amazon Luna, some are desirable while others are not:

Pros

It has a minimal network latency
Amazon Luna is available on different platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS, and iOS devices, and on most web browsers like Google Chrome and Safari.
It offers a flexible subscription plan with different packages, making it ideal for every budget.

Cons

It's not compatible with 4K HDR graphics. You have to put up with the 1080p resolution.
It's only available in the US.

Overall, Amazon Luna is an exciting streaming game service by Amazon. If you are within the US, you can try it today!

Conclusion

Amazon Luna is a cloud-based streaming service that allows you to stream games directly to your smart TV, console, or PC/macOS. This streaming service comes in different packages at different prices, making it ideal for every avid gamer looking for a new gaming experience.