Amazon Prime Video Expands Watch Party Feature To More Devices

Watching TV shows and movies remotely just got easier and more convenient on Amazon Prime as the “Watch Party” feature just got improved. According to TechCrunch, the feature has received a much-needed expansion from the limited use cases where it worked before on Fire TV devices, desktop web browsers, and the Prime Video mobile app. Henceforth, the feature will now support non-Amazon streaming devices, smart TVs, and Xbox / PlayStation gaming consoles.

With the updated Watch Party feature, users of up to 100 people with active Prime subscriptions can view video content at the same time. Every user viewing via this feature can chat about what they’re watching, while the host will have the ability to play, pause, skip, and fast forward or rewind for the group. Interesting yeah? 

For now, Amazon’s Watch Party feature will only be available to users in the US, Canada and select other countries, and you can only join a Watch Party if you are physically in the same nation as the host. The company’s FAQ notes that “An error message is displayed if you are using a VPN.” Amazon also notes that users can share access to video content that’s free to stream with a Prime subscription, but if it is video content designed for rent only, users will have to do it individually. Watch Party isn’t compatible with live events (like Thursday Night Football), Amazon Prime Video Channels, or Freevee (formerly known as IMDBtv).

While the rollout of these group features from various streaming platforms was introduced amid COVID-19 lockdowns in the year 2020, Amazon had since begun testing its Watch Party feature in 2019 via its Twitch service. Hulu has been identified to offer a similar user-friendly feature by the same name, Disney Plus offers GroupWatch, and streaming TV apps like Sling TV have also joined the list of streaming platforms that offer such services. To access Amazon Prime’s Watch Party feature, navigate to the content you want to watch via a supported device and launch the ‘Watch Paty’ button.