Amazon Luna adds 720p streaming to improve its accessibility


Amazon's new cloud-streaming service - Luna - is still lagging behind Xbox Cloud Streaming and Google Stadia, but has now added a much-needed feature for accessibility.

In a blog post, Team Luna said this was "one of the most requested features" that should benefit those with "unique internet connection speeds and bandwidth demands."

Previously, Amazon Luna would only allow its users to stream games in 1080p, with 4K gaming coming soon. Now, however, players can adjust the resolution to a 720p cap.

While a minority may have preferred Amazon to focus on the upgraded stream quality, rather than the downgrades, this move should help the Luna service reach even more gamers. Here's why.

720p Benefits

When Google and Microsoft launched their Stadia and xCloud services, they were only available in selected territories. What these areas had in common was internet infrastructure.

A superfast and stable internet connection is required to stream these games direct from the Cloud - a luxury that only a select few regions have access to.

By allowing players to stream games in 720p, Microsoft, Google, and now Amazon, can open their services to those in other regions without superfast internet infrastructure. It also allows those in more rural locations to make use of the streaming technology.

720p also uses a significantly smaller amount of data compared to 1080p or 4K. This option could benefit those on internet plans with data caps - often found in data plans from American ISPs.

Luna Data Requirements
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Image: Amazon

What is Amazon Luna?

Amazon Luna is Amazon's latest venture into the video games industry. The company will be hoping its streaming service goes the way of Twitch, rather than Crucible.

Luna is currently in an Early Access phase, after first launching in 2020.

The cloud streaming service is free-to-start, with users having to subscribe to 'channels' to play the best games on the platform. The Luna channel costs $5.99/month, while the Ubisoft channel is $14.99/month.

READ MORE: Xbox Cloud Gaming adds backwards compatibility titles

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