OnLive prices flat-rate 'PlayPack' plan at $10 per month, begins MicroConsole shipments
When we last wrote about OnLive, the "cloud gaming" service had just announced a price and ship date for its MicroConsole hardware. At the time, we also reported that it was planning to launch a flat-rate pricing plan for access to older "back catalog" titles and indie games, with a price to be announced. This morning, the company has set what's now known as the "PlayPack" plan at $9.99 per month, and will make it available to all OnLive users on January 15, 2011.
PlayPack is available right now to those with the OnLive MicroConsole -- or soon to get one, as they've begun shipping to Founding Members today -- in "beta" form, free of charge until the official roll-out.
Currently, the PlayPack beta offers access to a collection of about a dozen games, some new to the service (like Prince of Persia and Tomb Raider: Underworld) while others, like Unreal Tournament 3, have been on the service since it launched last summer. OnLive says it will have a library of 40 games ready for PlayPack subscribers when the for-pay tier launches in January. Looking at the finer print, some of the games "require a mouse and/or keyboard" -- which are supported in both wired and wireless flavors by the MicroConsole. Check out a partial list of games included in the PlayPack beta after the break.
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OnLive Offers $9.99/month Flat-rate Video Game Plan; OnLive Game System
Shipments Begin
Flat-rate Plan Offers Unlimited Access to Growing Library of
Instant-Play Games
Palo Alto, Calif., December 2, 2010-OnLive, Inc., the pioneer of
on-demand, instant-play video games, today announced details of its new
$9.99/month "PlayPack" flat-rate plan, which is immediately available in
beta to OnLive Game System owners and available to all OnLive members on
January 15, 2011. OnLive will continue to offer its current free trials,
3- and 5-day rentals and Full PlayPass options for a la carte
new-release games in addition to the new PlayPack flat-rate plan for
access to a growing library of recent, indie and classic games.
"OnLive's PlayPass and PlayPack plans give players maximum flexibility
to try or buy video games," said Michael Pachter, Managing Director,
Equity Research Wedbush Securities. "Top-tier titles are available as
individual rentals and purchases, while everything else is available at
a flat rate. With these programs, OnLive is effectively offering the
equivalent of an iTunes/Netflix combo for gaming."
OnLive today also began shipping the OnLive Game System, a $99
controller and MicroConsole(tm) bundle, providing instant access on
HDTVs to all OnLive games.
The PlayPack option is available, in beta, starting today for owners of
the OnLive Game System free of charge. The PlayPack game library will
steadily expand up to and beyond the January 15, 2011 launch date. After
this introductory beta period, the PlayPack flat-rate plan will be
available as a $9.99/month option for all OnLive members, including
those PlayPack beta members who choose to continue with the plan.
The PlayPack flat-rate plan will comprise more than 40 high-quality
games when officially launched, incorporating major franchises
immediately recognizable to any gamer. A sampling of the current
PlayPack beta game library includes:
* Prince of Persia(r), Ubisoft
* NBA(r) 2K10, 2K Sports
* Tomb Raider(tm): Underworld, Square-Enix
* F.E.A.R. 2, Warner Bros
* Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.(tm), Ubisoft
* Unreal Tournament(r) 3, Epic
* Vin Diesel Wheelman(tm), Ubisoft
* LEGO(r) Batman(tm), Warner Bros
* Defense Grid(r) Gold, Hidden Path
* Saw, Konami
* World of Goo, 2D Boy
Like all OnLive titles, PlayPack games play instantly on TVs, via the
OnLive Game System, or on a PC or Mac(r) via a small browser download.
"OnLive's new PlayPack plan is another example of unique value and
convenience unlocked through cloud gaming technology," said Steve
Perlman, founder and CEO of OnLive. "People love flat-rate plans for
instant-play media, so it's exciting to introduce this offering to the
video game market for the first time. With PlayPass games priced from
$3.99 to $49.99, along with the new $9.99/mo PlayPack plan, OnLive's
growing library of games will suit any budget and any type of gamer,
from casual to hardcore."
Some PlayPack games require a mouse and/or keyboard. The PlayPack
flat-rate plan will be offered on a month-to-month basis and can be
cancelled at any time.
For more information about the PlayPack flat-rate plan, visit
www.onlive.com/playpack. For additional details on the OnLive Game
System, visit www.onlive.com/game-system.
About OnLive
OnLive is the pioneer of on-demand, instant-play video game services,
delivering real-time interactive experiences and rich media through the
Internet. With groundbreaking video compression technology, OnLive
harnesses cloud computing to provide the power and intelligence needed
to instantly deliver the latest, premium game titles to any HDTV via the
OnLive Game System or nearly any PC and Mac via a small browser
download. OnLive technology is backed by hundreds of patents and patents
pending. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif. OnLive
investors include Warner Bros., Autodesk, Maverick Capital, AT&T,
British Telecommunications (BT) and The Belgacom Group. More information
is available at www.onlive.com.
# # #
OnLive, Brag Clip and MicroConsole are trademarks or registered
trademarks of OnLive, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of
their respective owners.
