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Sonic Adventure, La-Mulana feature in Japanese TV streaming service
Japanese cable company KDDI is set to roll out an Android app-based cloud service that will stream games from Sega, Konami, and other publishers to J:Com and JCN subscribers, Engadget reports. The Ubitus-developed GameNow service, which is compatible with an upcoming lineup of Toshiba Smart TVs in the United States, will offer a number of paid and subscription-based games when it launches in Japan this year. Announced titles include Sega's Sonic Adventure, Milestone's World Rally Championship 3, and Konami's World Soccer Winning Eleven 2014 (Pro Evolution Soccer 2014). Other featured games include Square Enix's puzzler Yosumin, Nigoro's indie adventure game La-Mulana, and Falcom's Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki FC (released stateside for the PSP in 2011 as The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky). Sony's similar PlayStation Now streaming service recently entered a closed beta ahead of a planned launch this summer. [Image: KDDI/Ubitus]
Japanese cable provider launches on-demand gaming service, will stream Sonic and Pro Evolution Soccer titles
Sony's PlayStation Now streaming game service is still months away from launch, but Japanese cable company KDDI is testing the idea with the app-based GameNow service, through cable. It's the same company responsible for LG's Smart TV game service, although judging from the title lineup, J:Com and JCN cable subscribers might not see games at the level of Devil May Cry 4 and Dead Rising 2, at least to start with. Temper that enthusiasm a little, and expect several puzzle games and sports titles, including Pro Evolution Soccer, World Rally Championship 3 and Sonic Adventure DX. KDDI's Smart TV Box launched in 2012, but its new gaming service will go live at the start of March. And hey, know where you could play Sonic over cable, just over 20 years ago? The Sega Channel, that's where.
Toshiba TVs with PC games streaming from cloud coming to the US
OnLive might not be the most successful cloud-based gaming platform, but with Sony's recent reveal of the Gaikai-powered PlayStation Now, the concept is only gaining more traction. Similar to OnLive's push for integration with tablets and TVs, Toshiba's incoming line of smart TVs will also offer game streaming capabilities via cloud-based gaming service GameNow. Toshiba's press release states that the GameNow-compatible L3400U, L5400U, and L7400U smart TV models are "scheduled to begin shipping" in the first quarter of 2014. Polygon reports that the service will feature PC games published by Capcom like Devil May Cry 4 and Resident Evil 5, as well as Warner Bros. games like Batman: Arkham City. GameNow creator Ubitus has also struck deals with Square Enix, Sega and Konami involving cloud-based versions of their games overseas, such as Dragon Quest X. Polygon described the rounds of Street Fighter X Tekken it played at CES with Logitch wireless controllers as "playable, but laggy," suggesting GameNow might be serviceable for genres where split-second timing isn't everything.
LG brings Ubitus' GameNow cloud gaming to Smart TVs in the US
LG is more serious about TV gaming than many of its rivals, and it's proving that today by rolling out Ubitus' GameNow service to Smart TVs in the US. The cloud gaming portal streams a mix of mostly console-grade titles, such as Devil May Cry 4 and Dead Rising 2; it also includes free trials and support for a handful of gamepads. A free beta is available now, and the two companies are shooting for a full-fledged launch sometime in the "near future." While it's unlikely that GameNow will replace a PS4 or Xbox One for truly demanding players, we'll take the wider game library any day.
