Amazon has recently announced that its Luna cloud gaming service will now offer the option to purchase games. However, there is a catch – for the time being, users will only be able to buy select Ubisoft titles. This new feature comes as a pleasant surprise for Luna users who were previously limited to accessing games through subscriptions or playing owned Ubisoft games on the platform.
While the ability to buy games on Luna is a welcome addition, it is important to note that there are certain restrictions in place. One such restriction is that users will need an Amazon Prime or Luna Plus subscription to stream any purchased Ubisoft game. This requirement may deter some potential buyers who are not interested in subscribing to either of these services. Additionally, although Luna allows you to download purchased Ubisoft games for offline play on your PC, it is not clear whether this feature will be available for games purchased through other cloud gaming services.
In Amazon’s blog post announcing the new feature, there is a hint that users might be able to play the purchased Ubisoft games on other cloud gaming platforms as well. The statement reads: “When customers purchase through Luna, they own the game license, and they will be able to play on Luna or download for offline play via the Ubisoft Connect PC launcher.” This suggests that it may be possible to buy an Ubisoft game on Luna, play it on Luna for a period of time, and then continue playing on another cloud gaming service, such as Nvidia’s GeForce Now. It is exciting to see the potential for cross-platform play, as it allows users more freedom and flexibility in choosing the gaming service that suits them best.
After the initial publication of this article, Ubisoft’s Jessica Roache confirmed in an interview with The Verge that games purchased on Luna will indeed be playable on other services like GeForce Now (although not all games will support cross-progression). This confirmation brings reassurance to users who may have been unsure about the compatibility of their purchased games across different platforms.
Comparisons to Google Stadia
It is worth mentioning that Google’s now-defunct cloud gaming service, Stadia, also offered the option to purchase games. Although Stadia’s fate may not have been ideal, it is interesting to see how Luna’s game purchasing feature may learn from the successes and failures of its predecessors in the cloud gaming market.
Amazon Luna’s new game purchasing feature provides users with more options for accessing and enjoying games on the platform. While there are limitations and unanswered questions surrounding cross-platform play and offline access, the confirmation from Ubisoft regarding compatibility with other cloud gaming services is certainly a positive development. As Luna continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see how this feature expands to include a wider range of games and partnerships with other publishers.
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