Amazon planning Chromecast-like set-top box for game streaming: Report

Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, is said to be planning a dongle-style game streaming set-top-box of its own. The form factor of the proposed set-top-box is similar to that of Google's Chromecast dongle, and not an actual-box like the Apple TV.

Sources close to Amazon have indicated to Techcrunch that the game streaming set-top box would be able to stream full PC game titles, and can be considered as a rival to existing gaming consoles, the Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4.

Amazon is further claimed to be going forward with a dongle-style set-top-box design because of its appealing nature, and since Google has already launched a successful streaming device in a dongle design. It has been noted that Roku, an American firm that creates digital media products, launched its streaming device with the same design earlier this month and will start shipping in April.

It is also worth mentioning that sources say top-tier game titles will be streamed via Amazon's services at 30 frames per second, and the remote game service is expected to be offered by OnLive.

The Amazon set-top box is still said to be under testing stage, and the company is speculated to additionally promote its Amazon Instant Video and Amazon MP3 offerings via the device.

In January, it was reported that the Internet retail titan reached out to entertainment studios about licensing television programs for an online streaming service. The move by Amazon is expected to add live television channels to the on-demand video service already offered by the company's Amazon Prime service and come as a challenge to cable or satellite television service providers.