cloud gaming service Archives

AppWizard

May 29, 2026

Game Pass success story: It turns out that when you make things cheaper, more people will buy them

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma indicated a strategic shift in Game Pass pricing, noting that a price reduction has effectively increased consumer interest. In April, Xbox acknowledged the need for "a better value equation" after a significant price increase in October 2025, where the Game Pass Ultimate subscription rose by 50% to .99 per month. Following Sharma's comments, Xbox reduced the Game Pass Ultimate subscription price to .99 per month, though this rate is still higher than pre-increase levels. As a result of these changes, Call of Duty titles will no longer be available on Game Pass at launch, with availability expected about a year later. Additionally, an ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming service has emerged, suggesting potential future models for Game Pass. Sharma also mentioned a rebranding of Xbox to XBOX, aimed at better engagement with the player base, although Xbox will not participate in this rebranding effort.

AppWizard

May 8, 2026

Amazon reveals May 2026 lineup for Luna cloud gaming and free PC games for Prime members

Amazon is enhancing its gaming offerings in May 2026 with new titles for its Luna cloud gaming service and a selection of free PC games for Prime members. Games Coming to Luna in May 2026 (Included with Prime): - Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy - Resident Evil 2 - Alien: Isolation - Middle-earth: Shadow of War - LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars - LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga Free PC Games – May 2026: - May 7: - Mafia II: Definitive Edition – GOG code - Fruitbus – GOG code - May 14: - Survival: Fountain of Youth – Amazon Games code - 60 Minutes to Extinction: Escape Room – GOG code - Lethal Honor: Order of the Apocalypse – Epic Games Store Code - May 21: - Space Grunts – GOG Code - Palindrome Syndrome: Escape Room – GOG Code - Hot Brass – GOG Code - May 28: - Nordic Storm Solitaire – Legacy Games Code - Moon Mystery – Epic Games Store Code - Pro Basketball Manager 2026 – Amazon Games Code

AppWizard

April 11, 2026

Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming service is ending support for game purchases and subscriptions from third-party stores, and users will lose streaming access to purchased third-party games in June

Amazon announced a reduction of 14,000 jobs in October 2025, with significant cuts to its gaming division as part of a strategic shift away from competing with platforms like Steam. The focus will now be on enhancing the Luna cloud gaming service, which will no longer support the purchase of games from third-party stores such as EA, Ubisoft, and GOG. Subscriptions for Ubisoft+ and Jackbox Games will be discontinued, although users who previously purchased games from these developers can stream them until June 10, 2026. The decision to eliminate third-party game access was based on feedback from players seeking easier access to games and more social experiences. This change raises concerns about Luna's appeal in comparison to competing services like Xbox Game Pass. Some suggest this may encourage users to transition to Luna Premium, which requires an additional monthly fee.

BetaBeacon

April 11, 2026

Amazon’s idea of improving Luna involves stripping back most of it

Amazon Luna is removing game purchases, third-party subscriptions, and game stores, simplifying its offerings starting on April 10. Subscriptions to Ubisoft Plus and Jackbox through Luna will be automatically canceled after one final renewal at the end of the current billing cycle.

BetaBeacon

March 5, 2026

Xemu’s emulator for original Xbox games is coming to Android

A paid Xbox emulator called X1 Box is now available on the Google Play Store for Android users, but a free alternative is in the works by the creators of the existing free emulator Xemu.

AppWizard

February 12, 2026

Microsoft could reportedly merge Xbox Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass

Microsoft is considering merging its two Game Pass tiers, PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Premium, to create a more cohesive gaming experience. Currently, PC Game Pass offers access to Game Pass titles on PC, EA Play, and first-party games at .99 / £13.49 per month, while Xbox Game Pass Premium includes console, PC, and Cloud libraries but excludes EA Play, priced at .99 / £10.99 per month. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier has increased in price to .99 / £14.99 per month. Upcoming titles for Xbox Game Pass include High on Life 2. Microsoft may also explore a free version of its Xbox Cloud Gaming service.

AppWizard

January 3, 2026

GeForce NOW Kicks Off 2026 with 14 New Games Added Throughout January

NVIDIA has released its first GeForce NOW Thursday update of the year, adding new PC games to the platform. New entries include the indie game My Winter Car and four previously released titles that are now available for streaming regardless of where they were purchased. Notable titles include Banishers: Ghost of New Eden, The Casting of Frank Stone, and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. Upcoming releases for January include StarRupture (Jan. 6), Pathologic 3 (Jan. 9), Quarantine Zone: The Last Check (Jan. 12), MIO: Memories in Orbit (Jan. 20), Nova Roma (Jan. 22), along with Guild Wars: Reforged, Mon Bazou, Supermarket Simulator, and Tavern Keeper. Some anticipated titles such as 2XKO, Arknights: Endfield, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin, Code Vein II, and Front Mission 3 Remake are not included in this update but may be added later.

AppWizard

December 5, 2025

Cloud Gaming Is Looking More Attractive Than Ever for All the Wrong Reasons

The cost of RAM has surged significantly, with prices for 16GB DDR4 sticks now around 0, and DDR5 sticks priced five times that amount. Micron, which held a 25.7% share of the DRAM market, announced it will discontinue its consumer-facing brand, Crucial, to focus on AI data center memory, likely exacerbating component prices. Xbox reported a 45% increase in playtime hours on its Game Pass Cloud Gaming service year-over-year, and Nvidia upgraded its GeForce Now service to support games on the latest RTX 5080 GPU. The rise in DRAM prices may persist until 2028, as major manufacturers prioritize supply for AI data centers over the PC industry.

AppWizard

December 4, 2025

Amazon Luna’s December lineup includes Hollow Knight, Lego 2K Drive and a few Fallout games

Amazon Luna has announced its game lineup for December, which includes the following titles: - LEGO 2K Drive - Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus - Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game - Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection One - Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Two - Christmas Adventure: Candy Storm - Gunslugs 2 - Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Three - Dreamscaper Additionally, Luna members can access streaming titles such as Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition, Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas. Other notable games available include Mafia: Definitive Edition, Hollow Knight, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Amazon relaunched its revamped Luna service at the end of October, introducing a collection of smartphone-controlled multiplayer games for Prime subscribers at no extra cost.

AppWizard

October 29, 2025

As Amazon’s game business crumbles, the public is surprised to discover that it was trying to compete with Steam all this time

On September 30, 2016, Amazon Game Studios introduced its titles Breakaway, Crucible, and New World at TwitchCon. Breakaway's development was halted in 2018 due to poor previews and an unsuccessful open alpha. Crucible was canceled shortly after its launch. While Amazon plans to keep New World operational until at least the end of 2026, it has ceased active development and laid off staff. Former Prime Gaming vice president Ethan Evans noted that Amazon's ambition to disrupt Steam faced challenges, including miscalculations about user habits and a lack of awareness among gamers regarding Amazon's gaming efforts. Amazon is now shifting focus from large-scale productions to more unconventional projects.