Amazon is preparing to bring back its cloud gaming service, Amazon Luna, later this year in a bold relaunch that combines a complete design overhaul with a new library strategy aimed at both casual and core gamers. The company has tied Luna directly into its Amazon Prime subscription, meaning millions of Prime users will gain access without paying anything extra – a move that could significantly boost its reach compared to its initial rollout years ago.
In a detailed announcement, Amazon framed this relaunch as part of a wider rethink of how gaming should work in the streaming era. 
The company pointed out that while hundreds of millions of people worldwide play games, many stick to their phones, leaving them excluded from the “big screen” experience because of high hardware costs or a sense that they don’t belong to the traditional gamer culture. Amazon is pitching Luna as the simple, social, and affordable way to change that dynamic, placing the living room and shared experiences at the center of its redesign.
The centerpiece of the relaunch is GameNight, a curated library of exclusive titles built for party-style entertainment. Inspired by hits like Jackbox, the lineup includes a mix of improv-based comedy games, family-friendly puzzles, and quirky multiplayer experiments. The flagship title is Courtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg, described as an improv-driven courtroom drama where players invent bizarre characters, tell tall tales, and try to survive the judgment of Snoop himself as a digital judge. At launch, GameNight will include around 25 games, spanning familiar franchises such as Angry Birds, Exploding Kittens, Flappy Golf Party, Taboo, Clue, and Ticket to Ride. Amazon’s clear intention is to make Luna a centerpiece of Friday-night gatherings, not just another streaming service.
But party games are only one half of the equation. Amazon Luna is also getting a rotating library of high-profile releases playable directly from the cloud. This library will rotate regularly and include heavy hitters such as Hogwarts Legacy, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Dave the Diver, Dead Island 2, and Borderlands 3. For those seeking even bigger blockbusters, a premium tier adds access to titles like EA Sports FC 25, LEGO DC Super Villains, Team Sonic Racing, and Batman: Arkham Knight. All games support standard Bluetooth controllers, though Amazon naturally emphasizes the compatibility of its own Luna controller.
When Luna was first reviewed by outlets like Wccftech, critics highlighted that while the cloud technology was serviceable, the content library felt thin and uninspired. Amazon seems to have taken that feedback seriously, aiming to shift the narrative by investing in more recognizable games and fresher social experiences. By bundling the service into Prime, Amazon reduces the barrier to entry dramatically. Even skeptics who wouldn’t pay for another subscription may find themselves casually trying a Luna game simply because it’s already included.
Still, questions remain. Some commentators have noted that Amazon’s framing of “gaming needs a rethink” risks sounding dismissive of how players already engage with games, whether on consoles, PCs, or mobile devices. There’s also skepticism about whether a rotating library can satisfy players who want long-term access to specific titles. And while party games are fun, they can sometimes feel like novelty rather than a sustainable draw for players who crave deeper, long-term experiences.
Yet, there’s no denying the ambition here. With Amazon’s resources, tight integration into Prime, and a roster that blends quirky comedy titles with major blockbuster hits, Luna’s second act could surprise people. Whether it reshapes gaming culture or simply becomes a Prime perk that users occasionally dabble in remains to be seen, but this relaunch is far from just a cosmetic facelift. It’s a bid to claim a place in a gaming landscape increasingly defined by subscriptions, streaming, and social play.
By late 2025, we’ll see if Amazon Luna finally finds the audience it missed the first time around.
1 comment
prime bundle makes it worth trying, but dunno if it lasts longer than a weekend tbh