Amazon is adding a new streaming option to its Luna cloud gaming platform that will cap resolution at 720p to help improve stability for players on slower internet connections.
Right now, Luna streams only at 1080p, with 4K coming at some point in the future. Yet even at 1080p, internet connections that struggle to keep up with the high bandwidth demands of cloud gaming might result in latency, lag, and audio issues for the player when using a service like Luna. Now, Amazon says those using Luna in its early access beta — the platform has yet to release to the public — can toggle on the 720p streaming mode in the settings panel to help with performance.
“One of the most requested features is the ability to play at lower resolutions to match unique internet connection speeds and bandwidth demands,” the company said in a statement to The Verge. “Starting today, we’re enabling a new 720p option, allowing for decreased bandwidth and data usage by streaming at a lower resolution.” Amazon also suggests the lower-resolution setting for Luna will help those who have home internet data caps, like the ones Comcast has said it will start imposing on its customers this July.
Luna released last fall in early access with a unique channel model that borrows concepts from cable and streaming television. Instead of paying a fee to use the service like Nvidia GeForce Now or buying your games outright like on Google Stadia, Luna itself is free to use but access to streamed games is gated behind “channels” with individual monthly subscriptions. The only two available right now are Amazon’s Luna Plus channel ($5.99 per month) and a dedicated Ubisoft one ($14.99).
