Amazon has announced a major change to its cloud gaming service, Luna, which will no longer allow owners to purchase games or access third-party subscriptions from today.
In an email sent out to Luna owners this morning, Amazon said it was removing the ability to buy games or access game stores, such as EA, Ubisoft or GOG’s offerings. Already-purchased games will still be playable for now — but only until June 10. After that date, those games will no longer be accessible through Luna.
In an FAQ on the changes, Amazon said it would not be offering refunds for purchases of “a-la-carte titles through Luna,” as you’ll still be able to access games via their linked third-party accounts.
Why is Amazon doing this? The megacorp has told customers that it was “evolving” Luna’s offering as it has heard user feedback that it should prioritize “easy access to great games.” (Except, presumably, the great games you might have bought a-la-carte.) What Amazon really means here is that it is recentering Luna on its content available as part of its Prime subscription, which it said is “where we’re focusing our future.”
“We’re doubling down on a broad range of gaming experiences,” Amazon continued, “including strong third-party titles, delivered in ways that make great games more accessible, as well as new and unique gaming experiences like GameNight.”
Luna customers are being offered a free Luna Premium subscription, although it’s unclear how long this will last.
The change comes just a day after Amazon said it was removing support for numerous older Kindle models, which will no longer be able to download additional books from May 20 onwards. Factory resetting or attempting to change user authorization of those older models will render the device unusable after that date, ensuring millions of devices eventually become paperweights.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
