The Amazon brand comes with numerous specialties for E-commerce services. They sell anything from Kitchenware, workshop appliances, tech products to novelty shoes. However, Amazon has many data centers globally, and their other specialty area is its web services. With Amazon’s news unveiling Luna, their upcoming game streaming platform, they did be adding another commercial application to their infrastructure.
Keep in mind; Amazon Web services is one of the vital aspects of Amazon’s retail, and Luna is bound to give them a competitive advantage. This was once the case with Google and their Stadia services, but it could not generate real enthusiasm from game players. Despite the technical implementation of stadia to Google, Google did fail utterly to prove stadia was anything more than a mere solution to a problem. Invariably with Luna storming the game streaming market, many expectations come into play.
About Luna
As Amazon’s cloud gaming service, Luna gives a level of ease for you to play games on devices you already own. All your gameplay is streamed directly from the cloud through the use of high-speed Wi-Fi – no need for lengthy downloads or upgrades. The best part is the Luna streaming service allows you to play games on your favorite screens on PCs, MacBook, and through web apps for iPhone and iPad.
Like the Google stadia, Luna offers its games on an early bird basis where you pay upfront to access games. At a point, the payment is bound to rise in the market soon. Currently, Luna offers a $5.99/month subscription for its selection of games. With the subscription, you play different choices of games, play on multiple devices, and get the ability to increase playback to 1080 pixels/ 60 fps (frames per second).
What makes Amazon’s Luna similar and unique to its competitor?
The only official competitor with the Luna game streaming service is Google Stadia. When it comes to its similarities, the bizarre thing common between them is that they think it’s worthwhile showing a game on their platform. Both are largely full of games available on any decent streaming laptop or any gaming console in the market.
With these kinds of cloud streaming game service in play, it is understandable that a new gaming future is possible. I am referring to a future where every local and cheap console box will be entirely dispelled from the market. What sets Luna apart from Google stadia is its ability to support iOS through the courtesy of web apps. Amazon designed Luna for iOS devices, so it won’t be hosted on the iOS App Store, so Apple doesn’t get a pay cut from its sales.
Now just like any other gaming platform, Amazon comes with a controller. It probably looks like a Nintendo Switch Pro, so it’s far from being outstanding.
However, it uses a Cloud Direct technology that connects directly to custom game servers, lowering server latency by 15 to 35 milliseconds against local Bluetooth connections.
Conclusion
Amazon’s inclusion into the cloud game streaming market through Luna isn’t too exciting. Perhaps, this is because of its many failed attempts to dominate the market. It may probably be able to gain the world’s attention through new technologies like Twitch or even Earthweb. As a note of caution, don’t expect something that will light the world on fire.
