Gamers have been receiving a lot of good news in the past month or so. Several significant updates have dropped regarding the Xbox and PlayStation. Furthermore, Microsoft and Google have also announced new titles in the coming year. Adding to this list of gaming news is Amazon’s rebranding move to breathe new life into their gaming division. As per reports, Amazon is rebranding their live streaming platform Twitch, and renaming it Prime Gaming. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the service, and what this rebranding could mean.
Twitch Prime to Prime Gaming
Amazon Prime subscribers used the Twitch Prime service to avail perks on the live streaming platform. As per new reports, the company is dropping the name Twitch, and focusing instead on the Prime brand. Hence, the service will now go by the title of Prime Gaming. However, the rebranding is purely a marketing strategy, as the benefits and services offered by the feature will remain the same. The main benefits provided by the service include free games with unlimited usage, gifting of free subscription, and exclusive in-game content.
Why the Sudden Rebranding?
Most experts believe that the new strategy with respect to branding came as a result of motivation to bring all services under the Prime umbrella. Often regarded as the most recognisable term associated with Amazon, the company is backing that brand strategy. By offering all its services under the umbrella of Prime, the company hopes to improve brand loyalty and awareness. Furthermore, the title of Prime Gaming blends well with the rest of the content that Amazon publishes through the Prime subscription. The primary services they provide include Prime Video for TV shows and movies, and Prime Reading which offers access to magazines and e-books. Other benefits provided by the $119-annual subscription is free shipping and offers on Amazon’s marketplace.
Commitment to Gaming
The recent rebranding is also a testament to the fact that Amazon has picked up substantial interest in the field of video gaming. Other than Twitch, Amazon also owns a unique game development studio called Amazon Games. However, this subsidiary wing has been struggling this year with its first title, Crucible not meeting consumer expectations. Crucible combines gameplay elements from shooting games and simulates that within an online battle arena, ensuring good experience on paper. The game came out in May this year but soon returned to a beta version as it required further work and refinement. Furthermore, their second major title, New World, which is an open-world MMO, was to release on August 25th. However, the company has pushed the release to July 10th, 2021. Also, Twitch had promised a Pac-man version in June, but no news has come out regarding this launch.
Retracing their Steps
In May, Amazon’s Relentless, the studio that helped create Crucible admitted that the released the game too early, without completing it. Therefore, to provide a better user experience, the company recalled the game and placed it in a closed beta state. They also stated that they would use the extra time to develop the maps, combat styles, and improve the overall game to ensure that fans receive exactly what was promised. The company also set up a council of beta players to test updates and give feedback regarding the changes made. However, the game will be available to all gamers who had already downloaded it, and it will continue to function normally on Steam. The company also stated that it would continuously put out updates to make the game better and engage the audience.
Entry Into Cloud Gaming
Insiders are also predicting the entry of Amazon into cloud gaming in the future and even claims the company might launch a unique cloud gaming service. Reports state that the secret project has the codename Project Tempo and that it will launch sometime in early 2021. As per a report in the New York Times, the delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is what led to the launch being pushed into 2021. This portal will be a direct competitor to Google’s platform Stadia which launched in November last year.
Job listings released by Amazon, which has been recruiting engineers for a new project within AWS has also helped provide some weight to these rumors. CNET reports state that the company might even integrate such a cloud service or platform with their Twitch/Prime Game service. This will be similar to how Google plans to integrate Stadia with YouTube in the long run. It will be interesting to see how this plan pans out, and whether it will provide more momentum to Amazon’s big push into the gaming industry.
Being a cinephile with a love for all things outdoorsy, Athulya never misses a chance to chase inspiring stories or poke fun at things, even when the subject is herself. Currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, she is someone innately interested in technical and scientific research. Music reviews and op-eds define her as they allow her to explore different perspectives. Though sometimes she thinks she makes more sense playing the guitar than she does while writing.