{"id":54163,"date":"2025-10-01T12:56:07","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T12:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/54163\/"},"modified":"2025-10-01T12:56:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T12:56:07","slug":"amazon-prime-gamings-luna-changes-execs-on-aaa-video-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/54163\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon Prime Gaming’s Luna Changes, Execs on AAA Video Games"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tAmazon<\/a> is revamping its cloud-gaming service Luna to offer a wide variety of top-tier games, including \u201cHogwarts Legacy\u201d and Xbox\u2019s \u201cIndiana Jones and the Great Circle,\u201d as well as a new \u201cGameNight\u201d lineup of original party games, all available to Prime subscribers.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe move is a splashy one for Amazon, which launched the Luna cloud-gaming service in 2022 but has yet to build up the platform \u2014 an offering that allows customers to play games without a console or gaming PC \u2014 into something that can stand on its own in the gaming market, rather than exist as another perk that comes with an Amazon Prime subscription. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re calling it the all-new Amazon Luna<\/a>, because it\u2019s really been rebuilt and reimagined from the ground up,\u201d Amazon general manager of Prime and cloud gaming Jeff Gattis told Variety. \u201cThat\u2019s everything from our UI, the way people interact with the games, to the offering itself and the portfolio of games. It\u2019s the offering and putting it into Prime and it\u2019s really this notion of, can we make it as easy for Prime members to play games as it is to watch Prime Video and stream music on Prime Music?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAlong with a new lineup of premium third-party games and a UI update, Luna is introducing a party game collection labeled \u201cGameNight,\u201d which will launch with the AI-powered title \u201cCourtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg,\u201d which features the rapper as your personal judge in at-home disputes.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYou basically state your case. You can actually submit evidence through prompt-based AI, and it\u2019ll generate the evidence in front of Snoop so we can look at the visual of the garbage bag or whatever the case is about,\u201d Gattis said. \u201cAnd then there\u2019s just this banter back and forth with Snoop Dogg, which is obviously funny because it\u2019s Snoop Dogg, it\u2019s him and his dialect, but he\u2019s really talking to you. I think that\u2019s the amazing thing about it. And what we get excited about with this game is, it\u2019s a game that literally could not have been made three years ago. So it\u2019s one of these things that requires the cloud. It requires a large language model behind it to power Snoop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Luna overhaul comes as Amazon\u2019s young game studio, run by 2K Games co-founder Christoph Hartmann<\/a>, is slowly but surely working on a slate of original mid-level and top-tier games, known as AA and AAA games within the gaming industry. Amazon leadership says that the Luna changes don\u2019t mean the strategy at Hartmann\u2019s Amazon Game Studios has pivoted away from larger titles, but rather it will now include more of these social games that can be developed quicker and target a wider consumer audience.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re continuing down the path with the console-friendly AAA games, which is why you see in the offering, we\u2019re not just launching \u2018GameNight,\u2019 but actually expanding the library of AAA games that are available, as well as then games that work for really the non-core gamer, where you can pick up your phone as a controller and have a lot of fun with your family and friends in your living room,\u201d Amazon\u2019s vice president of audio, Twitch and games, Steve Boom, told Variety.<\/p>\n

\n\tBoom continued: \u201cIf you were to trace the arc of what we\u2019ve released and what we\u2019ve now announced from our games studio, it would actually point in this direction. So what started out in massively multiplayer games, MMOs, we\u2019ve really widened the aperture, if you will. And so you\u2019ve seen announcements for like things like \u2018King of Meat,\u2019 \u2018Tomb Raider,\u2019 our upcoming driving game, \u2018Lord of the Rings,\u2019 and kind of moving more in that direction of what I would call console-friendly titles, known IPs or known play patterns. The MMOs, those are really PC games. We launched \u2018New World\u2019 on consoles about a year ago, and it\u2019s done really, really well, but those games at their core appeal to the hardest core-PC gamers. \u201c<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile much of Hartmann\u2019s team is working on those long-lead titles, Boom says an internal studio known as Studio 5 has been created within the overall Amazon Game Studios team to work on \u201cCourtroom Chaos\u201d and other \u201cgames for the non-core gamer.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThey tend to be smaller, social party games versus big, elaborate open-world AAA,\u201d Boom said. \u201cSo you could imagine that the time frame to develop those games is a lot shorter than for AAA games.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tSee below for Amazon\u2019s new Luna promo video, followed by the full blog post announcing the Luna changes, written by Gettis and published Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\n\tIntroducing the All-New Amazon\u00a0Luna: A New Era of Gaming for Everyone<\/p>\n

\n\tSeveral years ago, a bunch of game-crazy Amazonians had an audacious idea: what if we could stream games just like we stream video and music? I say \u201caudacious\u201d because a lot of people doubted that streaming technology would work for games, which are much more difficult to deliver via the cloud than video and music. But at Amazon, we like hard problems! Fast forward to 2022 and we launched Amazon\u00a0Luna, a cloud gaming service where customers can play games anywhere without a console or a gaming PC. It\u2019s fun, magical, convenient, and something we\u2019re proud of! Since that time, we\u2019ve added more and more titles to our catalog and we\u2019ve scaled\u00a0Luna\u00a0to 14 countries, with customers streaming millions of game hours on\u00a0Luna\u00a0every month. Across our team, we love playing\u00a0EA SPORTS FC 25,\u00a0Assassin\u2019s Creed Shadows,\u00a0Fortnite, and more. My personal favorites are\u00a0Dungeons of Hinterberg\u00a0and\u00a0Death Stranding.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut at Amazon we don\u2019t like to stand still\u2026<\/p>\n

\n\tWe Think Gaming Needs a Rethink<\/p>\n

\n\tGaming is one of the most powerful cultural forces in the world, with more than 3 billion people playing across the globe. When you look a little closer, though, you realize that only about 300 million people own consoles, and around 250 million own gaming-ready PCs. In other words, most players are on their smartphones, and most of the time they\u2019re playing by themselves. And we think that\u2019s a shame because some of the most magical moments in gaming are when you\u2019re playing with family and friends in the living room on the big screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tUntil now, though, playing on the big screen usually means expensive consoles, costly graphics cards, and complicated games that end up feeling more like a commitment than a quick escape. The industry hasn\u2019t done enough to welcome the 100s of millions of people who\u00a0want\u00a0to experience the magic of playing games on the big screen but feel left out \u2013 those who don\u2019t see themselves as \u201cgamers,\u201d those who don\u2019t want to spend a fortune on hardware, or those who just want something simple, social, and fun.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd that\u2019s exactly what our Prime members have told us. Gaming hardware is too expensive. Games are intimidating and hard to learn\u2026 and expensive. Games can be isolating. But, at the same time, Prime members know that games don\u2019t have to be this way, and indeed, they tell us that they want games to be a way to bring friends and family together. To build connection. To bond. To have fun!<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd so we asked ourselves, how can we reimagine\u00a0Luna\u00a0in order to solve the issues that prevent so many from participating? The good news is that\u00a0Luna\u00a0already solves the hardware cost issue. But how can we further lower barriers? How can we expand who gets to play? How can we bring people together? How can we reimagine what games can be with the help of AI and the cloud? In other words, how can we reimagine\u00a0Luna\u00a0so that it\u2019s not just a\u00a0different place\u00a0to play games but also a place to play games\u00a0differently\u00a0and a place to play\u00a0different games?\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tIntroducing: The All-New Amazon\u00a0Luna\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tThat\u2019s why we\u2019re excited to announce that, later this year, we will be launching a completely redesigned and reimagined\u00a0Amazon\u00a0Luna\u00a0that combines innovative social party games with amazing blockbusters to make every night in your house the perfect game night to share with your family and friends. These new additions are all included with Prime at no additional cost. The all-new\u00a0Luna\u00a0will empower Prime members to play games in the same way they enjoy content on Prime Video or Amazon Music, across the devices that they already own and prefer to use. And there\u2019s no special hardware required \u2013 just launch\u00a0Luna\u00a0on your Fire TV, smart TV, or tablet, and you\u2019re playing in seconds.<\/p>\n

\n\tGameNight: A New Kind of Social Play<\/p>\n

\n\tWhen you launch\u00a0Luna, you\u2019ll see something totally new called\u00a0GameNight, where you\u2019ll find a collection of social party games to play with your family and friends. Just like when you host game night at your house \u2013 but better!\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tGameNight reimagines what it means to play games in the living room. Not only do you not need a console or gaming PC \u2013 you don\u2019t even need a game controller! With all GameNight games, your smartphone is your controller for experiences centered around the living-room TV. In seconds, anyone in the room can join the fun simply by scanning a QR code. All GameNight games are designed to be played together with family and friends for maximum laughter and connection. Finally, a reason for parents\u00a0not\u00a0to tell their kids to put their phones away!<\/p>\n

\n\tGameNight will feature exclusive titles developed by Amazon, starting with the launch title\u00a0Courtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg\u2014a human-built, AI-powered improv courtroom game where players invent outrageous characters, spin wild stories, and do whatever it takes to defend their testimonies before Judge Snoop Dogg.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tGameNight will also launch with more than 25 approachable multiplayer games, from GameNight-optimized takes on favorites like\u00a0Angry Birds,\u00a0Draw & Guess,\u00a0Exploding Kittens\u00a0and\u00a0Flappy Golf Party, to party-ready adaptations of board game hits such as\u00a0Taboo, Ticket to Ride\u00a0and\u00a0Clue. All GameNight titles are tuned for a fun, frictionless living-room experience.\u00a0So, whether you\u2019re looking to work together with your partner to slingshot birds at those pesky pigs, explode some kittens (yikes!), show off your drawing skills, or be the first to say \u201cColonel Mustard, with the Candlestick, in the Conservatory\u201d\u2026 all on the big screen with your family and friends\u2026 then GameNight is your ticket to fun! And we will be adding new GameNight games all the time so that your family\u2019s game night is always fun and fresh.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tThis isn\u2019t just gaming \u2013 it\u2019s play reinvented for the modern living room.<\/p>\n

\n\tLevel Up Your Game Play\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd what about those times when you really want to get your game on and level up? You know, to\u00a0really\u00a0unleash your inner gamer? We\u2019ve got you covered there too. For Prime members, the all-new\u00a0Luna\u00a0will include a diverse and growing library of more than 50 popular, classic, indie, and blockbuster games. That means hit titles like\u00a0Hogwarts Legacy,\u00a0Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and\u00a0TopSpin 2K25, alongside fan-favorite indies and family-friendly picks such as\u00a0Dave the Diver,\u00a0MotoGP 25,\u00a0Farming Simulator 22, and\u00a0SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom. Just like GameNight games, this rotating library is included with Prime at no additional cost. These games are definitely a little more involved than GameNight titles, so you will need a game controller to play. If you\u2019ve got a Bluetooth controller lying around the house, you\u2019re all set. If not, just purchase a\u00a0Luna\u00a0Controller\u00a0and the magic of Prime will have it at your doorstep in no time flat. In fact, we\u00a0just announced\u00a0some nice discounts on the\u00a0Luna\u00a0Controller and select Fire TV bundles for Prime Big Deal Days in several countries, with some available until October 10. And you can likely look forward to similar deals in the future.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd if all of that\u00a0still\u00a0isn\u2019t enough and you want to level up your gaming\u00a0even more, you can subscribe to\u00a0Luna\u00a0Premium for more blockbuster titles like\u00a0EA SPORTS FC 25, LEGO DC Super-Villains, Team Sonic Racing,\u00a0and\u00a0Batman: Arkham Knight.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tBuilt for Prime Members<\/p>\n

\n\tPrime has always been about making life simpler, more entertaining, and more affordable.\u00a0Luna\u00a0builds on that promise with a fresh take on gaming experiences to play with family and friends.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd this is just the beginning. With advances in AI and cloud technology, we see opportunities to create entirely new kinds of games \u2013 experiences that were never possible before. We have an incredible pipeline of games in the works and can\u2019t wait for you to play and experience the all-new\u00a0Luna\u00a0for yourself later this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Amazon is revamping its cloud-gaming service Luna to offer a wide variety of top-tier games, including \u201cHogwarts Legacy\u201d…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":54164,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[414,45964,45965,111,139,69,145],"class_list":{"0":"post-54163","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-amazon","9":"tag-amazon-games","10":"tag-amazon-luna","11":"tag-new-zealand","12":"tag-newzealand","13":"tag-nz","14":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54163\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}