The first video from Amazon has jumped to the group “Watch Party”, a transmission trend that has gained momentum during the coronavirus crisis.
The e-commerce company’s Prime Video service gradually began implementing Watch Party, its version of a native social viewing experience, the company said Monday. Available to desktop PC users, Watch Party, based on Prime Video’s browser, allows up to 100 people to watch a TV show or movie together in a virtual room.
With the feature, Prime members can organize and participate in a Watch Party, with synchronized playback (controlled by the host) and a chat sidebar to the right of the main video window.
For now, the feature is only available in the United States. Also, it is important to note that each participant must have a Prime membership (and must be located in the US); otherwise, it is available at no additional charge.
The idea of online “observance parties” has been around for some years, but with social distancing it has gained more currency. And of course, subscription video services are eager to promote anything that can help them acquire (or retain) customers.
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Last month, startup Scener launched a co-viewing option for HBO in addition to its Netflix option, and there’s also a browser plugin called Netflix Party (not affiliated with Netflix). Hulu also launched a surveillance party feature last month, for up to eight viewers.
Amazon started testing the concept in April with Twitch, its game-centric streaming platform: the creators of Big Twitch have had the ability to choose part of the Prime Video catalog to offer live streaming for a streaming episode or movie. on the Main Screen. (Both streamers and viewers must have Prime accounts.)
With Prime Video Watch Party, customers can select from all of the VOD titles included as part of the Prime membership. However, transactional VOD titles (to rent or own) purchased from Amazon are not included. When you set up a Watch Party on Prime Video, you receive a dedicated link to share with friends and family.
Unsurprisingly, the shared viewing feature is available for all Amazon originals including “Fleabag”, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”, “Hanna”, “Late Night” by Mindy Kaling Donald Glover’s “Guava Island”, “Troop Zero”, “The Big Sick”, “The Boys”, “Homecoming” and “My Spy”.
Above photo: Andy Allo in Amazon Studios’ science fiction comedy “Upload,” as seen in the Prime Video Watch Party experience.
