Luna, Amazon’s video game cloud-streaming service, is making a change in direction. While the service will still offer AAA video games like Fallout and Dead Island, the retail giant has announced new plans to “reimagine” Luna as a platform for families to enjoy casual, easier-to-learn games using their phones. And the first game announced by Amazon for this new direction is a courtroom comedy game featuring an AI-powered Snoop Dogg as the judge. Launched in 2020, Luna followed Google’s Stadia but, unlike Stadia, which went under in 2022, Amazon has continued to support Luna, providing a subscription service with access to over 100 games and offering Prime members a small selection of free games. It has never really felt like Luna was a huge success, despite some publishers like Ubisoft and EA keeping it afloat. However, Amazon seems to have acknowledged its shortcomings and has now revealed plans to rebrand Luna as a more casual experience focused on couch co-op and fresh, original games.
On October 1, Amazon announced that Luna will undergo a transformation later this year. While the service will still allow players to purchase and play AAA games, Amazon aims to target “the 100s of millions of people who want to experience the magic of gaming on the big screen but feel excluded due to complex games or expensive consoles.” The company’s goal is to turn Luna into a place where friends and family can gather around the TV, grab their phones, and enjoy simpler games together. If this sounds similar to Jackbox, well, you might as well join the Amazon Gaming executive team. The central focus of this rebrand is Game Night, a new hub within Luna developed by Amazon that will offer a variety of Jackbox-like, family-friendly, casual games. Players simply scan a QR code with their phone and within seconds, they are immersed in a fun gaming experience… like a Snoop Dogg courtroom game powered by AI?
The highlight of this rebrand is the introduction of Courtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg, described by Amazon as an “AI-powered improv courtroom game where players create outrageous characters, spin wild tales, and do whatever it takes to defend their testimonies before Judge Snoop Dogg.” So, gather ’round, folks, grab your Cricket Wireless smartphone, and let’s engage in a heated exchange with an AI-powered version of a famous rapper who may have made some questionable decisions in recent times. Will this major pivot pay off? Who knows. A lot of the pitch reminds me of the promises made by Google about Stadia and Intellivision’s failed Amico console. Perhaps Amazon will find success where others have faltered? Maybe. Luna hasn’t exactly been making waves in the gaming world currently. The outcome of this pivot will only be revealed when it takes effect later this year.
