Amazon unveils Alexa Game Control feature for ‘Dead Island 2’

Yahoo Finance tech reporter Allie Garfinkle details Amazon’s integration of its Alexa voice technology features into video games.

Video Transcript

– Let’s move on here to Amazon is in the middle of finding ways to cut costs. But one area of the tech giant’s business that’s still getting a lot of attention, Alexa Games. Yahoo Finance’s Allie Garfinkle, here with the details. Allie, what can you tell us?

ALLIE GARFINKLE: Hi, Shawna. So it’s no checkmark news. But this is actually a big day for Alexa Games. This is actually what’s called the first Alexa game control game. And it’s called “Dead island 2.” Now, I’m going to translate some of that because I know you guys aren’t gamers. So “Dead Island 2” is an open-world zombie game. As you can see in this B-roll, yes, you get weapons. And yes, you kill zombies.

And Alexa game control is what allows players to interact with a visual game like this that’s played on an Xbox or a PlayStation with their voices. So for example, when I’m playing this game, I can say, hey, zombie, and I’m then taunting the zombie and making it come to me. Or I can turn on fury mode by saying, fury mode, and it’s sort of this enhanced, specialized attack. Now, you may not have known you can play games on an Alexa.

But actually, you can because it does go beyond this. For example, you can play “Jeopardy” on your Alexa by saying, Alexa, play “Jeopardy.” I know because I’ve done it. You can also do the same with “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” And it’s not intuitive, necessarily. I think a lot of people are like, wait, can I play games on an Alexa? Is that even fun? When I was speaking to the GM and director of Alexa Games, I sort of asked this question and where this all fits in the context of Amazon and its cost cutting.

And the thing that he said is that, look, this is an area of innovation. Yes, this is an area– yes, Amazon is in a moment of cost cutting. Yes, Amazon is even in a moment of layoffs, including at Alexa. However, Alexa Games has pressed forward. He was very clear that it’s fundamentally a strategic priority for the company. And they’re going to be really bullish on voice-controlled gaming, moving forward, so maybe you should try it out. I think it’s really fun, but I’m a gamer. So I don’t know about you guys.

– I was going to say. Allie, I wanted to know what you think of it because this is over my head. I can’t remember the last time I played a video game. I was probably 10 years old. And it was one of the first Nintendos that came out.

ALLIE GARFINKLE: We can fix that.

– That’s a heck of a lot going on, and I don’t even know how I would remotely try to keep up with it.

ALLIE GARFINKLE: I really like it. I really like it. I think it’s really interesting. I think there are a lot of things in gaming where you’re like, oh, it’s really intuitive just to say that. There are certain mechanics that are always like– switching to a weapon is always– which sounds very scary out of context. But in a game, it’s the sort of thing where saying it actually feels intuitive. I don’t know if I’m bullish, but I am curious.

– I was going to say the B-roll there– the video was enough to scare me. I’m not going to be playing it anytime soon. All right, Allie Garfinkle, fun stuff. Thanks so much. Well, coming up, losing weight by taking a pill? An FDA-approved type 2–