Amazon has integrated its cloud gaming service, Luna, directly into the Prime Video app, a significant shift in its strategy to make the service more accessible to its vast subscriber base. Starting Thursday, Prime members in the U.S. and U.K. with a compatible Fire TV device can find a new 'Games' tab within the Prime Video application, allowing them to launch Luna titles directly. This feature enables eligible Prime subscribers to play games from Luna's rotating catalog without requiring additional software downloads, supporting either a compatible controller or a smartphone as a gamepad.
Amazon has been attempting to establish Luna as a cloud gaming alternative, but the service has faced challenges with discoverability. Despite Prime members having long-standing access to a curated Luna library as part of their subscription, many were reportedly unaware of this benefit. Jeff Gattis, Amazon Games GM, stated earlier this year that the company possessed valuable assets for Luna that were not being effectively utilized. The integration into Prime Video aims to rectify this by making Luna a more prominent feature within Amazon's ecosystem.
This move by Amazon parallels Netflix's strategy of incorporating games into its own streaming app. While Netflix's gaming experiments have not yet fundamentally altered its broader ambitions, they have maintained engagement, with titles like its revival of FIFA and the experimental release Unhinged reportedly performing well according to internal metrics.
For Amazon, making Luna impossible to overlook is a key step in competing in the evolving landscape of streaming and digital entertainment. The success of this new integration will depend on whether Prime Video users engage with the cloud gaming offerings, such as the AI-powered "Courtroom Chaos: Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger" or titles like "Dispatch" and "EA Sports FC 26."