Microsoft To Test Ad-Supported Xbox Cloud Gaming, Amazon Adds Luna To Prime Video

According to CNBC, Microsoft’s Xbox division said Thursday it will test an advertising-supported way for users to stream video games, while Amazon said it will add its Luna cloud gaming service to Prime Video. Amazon’s Prime subscription costs $14.99 per month, and the move will give Luna more prominent placement on its website after it was previously available only through a dedicated site. The companies have both been successful in cloud computing but have struggled to get users playing games over sometimes unreliable internet connections that can create latency. Xbox said members of the Xbox Insider Program can join the test with a one-hour session limit, and it applies to games already in a user’s library. Amazon gaming head Jeff Gattis said the company’s goal is to reach more casual players, that Luna has “millions” of users across the U.S. and 13 other countries, and that it aims to reach 10 million to 20 million users as quickly as possible.