Several 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 “audacious” 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 Luna, a cloud gaming service where customers can play games anywhere without a console or a gaming PC. It’s fun, magical, convenient, and something we’re proud of! Since that time, we’ve added more and more titles to our catalog and we’ve scaled Luna to 14 countries, with customers streaming millions of game hours on Luna every month. Across our team, we love playing EA SPORTS FC 25, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Fortnite, and more. My personal favorites are Dungeons of Hinterberg and Death Stranding.

But at Amazon we don’t like to stand still…

We Think Gaming Needs a Rethink

Gaming 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’re playing by themselves. And we think that’s a shame because some of the most magical moments in gaming are when you’re playing with family and friends in the living room on the big screen. 

Until 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’t done enough to welcome the 100s of millions of people who want to experience the magic of playing games on the big screen but feel left out – those who don’t see themselves as “gamers,” those who don’t want to spend a fortune on hardware, or those who just want something simple, social, and fun.

And that’s exactly what our Prime members have told us. Gaming hardware is too expensive. Games are intimidating and hard to learn... and expensive. Games can be isolating. But, at the same time, Prime members know that games don’t 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!

And so we asked ourselves, how can we reimagine Luna in order to solve the issues that prevent so many from participating? The good news is that Luna already 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 Luna so that it’s not just a different place to play games but also a place to play games differently and a place to play different games? 

Introducing: The All-New Amazon Luna 

That’s why we’re excited to announce that, later this year, we will be launching a completely redesigned and reimagined Amazon Luna that 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 Luna will 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’s no special hardware required – just launch Luna on your Fire TV, smart TV, or tablet, and you’re playing in seconds.

GameNight: A New Kind of Social Play

When you launch Luna, you’ll see something totally new called GameNight, where you’ll find a collection of social party games to play with your family and friends. Just like when you host game night at your house – but better! 

GameNight reimagines what it means to play games in the living room. Not only do you not need a console or gaming PC – you don’t 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 not to tell their kids to put their phones away!

GameNight will feature exclusive titles developed by Amazon, starting with the launch title Courtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg—a 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. 

GameNight will also launch with more than 25 approachable multiplayer games, from GameNight-optimized takes on favorites like Angry Birds, Draw & Guess, Exploding Kittens and Flappy Golf Party, to party-ready adaptations of board game hits such as Taboo, Ticket to Ride and Clue. All GameNight titles are tuned for a fun, frictionless living-room experience. So, whether you’re 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 “Colonel Mustard, with the Candlestick, in the Conservatory”… all on the big screen with your family and friends… then GameNight is your ticket to fun! And we will be adding new GameNight games all the time so that your family’s game night is always fun and fresh. 

This isn’t just gaming – it’s play reinvented for the modern living room.

Level Up Your Game Play 

And what about those times when you really want to get your game on and level up? You know, to really unleash your inner gamer? We’ve got you covered there too. For Prime members, the all-new Luna will include a diverse and growing library of more than 50 popular, classic, indie, and blockbuster games. That means hit titles like Hogwarts Legacy, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and TopSpin 2K25, alongside fan-favorite indies and family-friendly picks such as Dave the Diver, MotoGP 25, Farming Simulator 22, and SpongeBob 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’ve got a Bluetooth controller lying around the house, you’re all set. If not, just purchase a Luna Controller and the magic of Prime will have it at your doorstep in no time flat. In fact, we just announced some nice discounts on the Luna Controller 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.  

And if all of that still isn’t enough and you want to level up your gaming even more, you can subscribe to Luna Premium for more blockbuster titles like EA SPORTS FC 25, LEGO DC Super-Villains, Team Sonic Racing, and Batman: Arkham Knight.  

Built for Prime Members

Prime has always been about making life simpler, more entertaining, and more affordable. Luna builds on that promise with a fresh take on gaming experiences to play with family and friends. 

And this is just the beginning. With advances in AI and cloud technology, we see opportunities to create entirely new kinds of games – experiences that were never possible before. We have an incredible pipeline of games in the works and can’t wait for you to play and experience the all-new Luna for yourself later this year.

• Jeff Gattis, GM, Amazon Luna