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OnLive supporting overseas play (if it works)
OnLive's official blog announced that you can now play games on the service from overseas -- mostly. While the company "has data centers throughout the world in various stages of tests," there no guarantee that logging in to the US servers from overseas will provide you with a solid experience. Basically, if you want to play OnLive while abroad, "give it a try," and hope it works. That said, the company is aiming to set up sites all over the world, with Germany and Belgium-specific servers heading into beta later this year. Meanwhile, if you want to play games while too far away from the servers that are currently running, you'll have to play games the old-fashioned way: With disc-based media and powerful computing and graphics processors built into a slim case with a large LCD screen. That's right, just like the old-timers used to do it!
OnLive ditches monthly fees altogether, makes the world a freer place
OnLive's cloud gaming service has just become exponentially more appealing with one simple move: monthly fees for its use have been scrapped. Company CEO Steve Perlman has gleefully dished the good news, garnishing them with the explication that such was the plan all along -- though it couldn't be announced in advance as there was uncertainty about whether the economics of the nascent on-demand service would work out to support its fee-free operation. So now that the beans have been counted, Perlman and co have done the best thing possible by under-promising and over-delivering -- all an OnLive user will need to pay for now are PlayPasses, which offer you three- or five-day access to a game, or you can buy the game in full, which comes with a minimum three-year guarantee of support after its release on OnLive. Paying only for the content you want to use? Now that truly is a revolutionary idea. [Thanks, Kevin S.]
Gaikai gets Intel, Limelight backing
As the September launch of game streaming platform Gaikai draws ever-closer, the company has announced its latest business win: investments from Intel and Limelight Networks. This news (for which the full press release can be found after the break) comes just over a month after Gaikai inked a multi-year deal with EA to provide its titles via in-browser streaming. Gaikai isn't disclosing the nitty-gritty, dollars and cents details of the investments, but we know that the company was already at work building its servers utilizing Intel's "overkill is not a word" six-core CPUs and solid-state drives. Which, essentially, makes Gaikai a showcase for Intel's most cutting-edge tech; tech that will be installed at "key nodes" within Limelight Networks' infrastructure. (We also hear it'll give Gaikai a fresh, citrus-y smell.)
OnLive turns sentient, now beaming gaming goodness over the ether (update)
We were promised cloud gaming nirvana on June 17, and OnLive has indeed kept to its self-imposed schedule. The new service that allows you to play resource-hungry games via only your browser window has taken its first steps into the real (non-beta) world with an initial catalog of 23 games. It'll be free for the first year for those who showed faith early on and pre-registered, or $15 per month for new bandwagon riders. Do let us know your thoughts if you've gotten onboard at this nascent stage: does it play fantastically well, is it close to spectacular, or is it just a pedestrian effort aiming to capitalize on geeks' lust for unbound gaming? We have to know. [Thanks, Mike] Update: OnLive's site doesn't seem to have been updated to reflect the service going live (you can sign up, but can't just jump in and play). It might be, therefore, that OnLive is booting itself up in stages, with only the early birds getting the first bite.
OnLive hopes to make it to the UK by 'the end of 2011'
"We'll announce further details about our launch plans later this year, but we would hope to make it available by the end of 2011," a British Telecom spokesperson told PCR. BT, who announced this partnership last month, will offer OnLive through select broadband bundles -- it will also be available to existing customers and PlusNet subscribers. "Over time, as consumer broadband connectivity increases and as games become more complex, we expect cloud-based distribution models for gaming to become increasingly attractive and mainstream," the spokesperson added. OnLive is currently set to launch in the US on June 17. Pre-registrants gain access to a free game and free year's subscription. As of now, no such incentive has been announced for the UK.
Rumor: Sony to reveal 'PSN+' subscription service at E3 2010
According to Joystiq's sources, Sony is set to reveal a premium tier of the PlayStation Network service, labeled PSN+, during its 2010 E3 media briefing. Unlike Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold service, PSN+ will focus on giving paid subscribers additional bonuses without limiting online multiplayer between paying and nonpaying users. Many of the features included in the premium service mimic those featured in a supposed survey released late last year. Sources tell us that subscribers will have access to a rotating list of PSP Minis and PSone Classics, exclusive in-game DLC, discounts to the PlayStation Store and "first hour" demo access to full retail titles. Following the first hour of gameplay, players will have the ability to purchase the full title; however, demo access will only be available once the entire title has been downloaded. As PSN+ subscribers, gamers will also receive protection for their consoles with the recently announced PlayStation Protection Plan, as well as exclusive access to the long-awaited cross-game voice chat. Additional features are said to be in the works following the launch of PSN+, including the previously rumored cloud-based saving system. Joystiq has been informed that PSN+ subscribers will also have the ability to enable an auto-patching feature, which will detect, download and install updates for recently played PS3 titles on the system. Pricing and a release for the PSN+ service is unknown, though one source speculates PSN+ may cost $9.99 per month. When contacted, a Sony representative said the company does not "comment on rumors or speculation."
OnLive headed to the UK through BT partnership
Streaming games on demand spearheader OnLive has announced a partnership with BT, whereby the British communications firm has taken a 2.6 percent share in the company and will have the exclusive rights to bundle OnLive service with its broadband packages in the UK. "We're really excited about OnLive's potential in Europe, and looking forward to kicking it off in the UK through our partnership with BT," OnLive CEO Steve Perlman said in a post on the company's blog. "Today we are announcing that BT, the largest broadband operator in the UK, has formed a partnership with and has made an investment in OnLive. We'll be working together with BT to bring the OnLive Game Service to the UK, such that it operates reliably and with high quality over the UK's Internet backbone to BT's broadband customers," Perlman wrote. "I know everyone would like the exact details of when OnLive will be available in the UK, but we are not announcing dates just yet. We're completely focused on our US launch this summer. Once we get the US service up and running, we'll be sharing more details, including when we'll be starting a UK public Beta." Addressing those in the region who already have broadband service, Perlman said that "UK gamers will also be able to order the OnLive Game Service directly from OnLive to run over any UK ISP," adding that, "What's great about Western Europe geographically is that so many countries are within a 1000 mile (1600 km) radius, which is within the latency limit for a single OnLive data center. We've tested OnLive across all of Western Europe spanning from the UK to Italy and from Scandinavia down to Spain." The OnLive service is slated to launch in the US this June 17 for PC and Mac users, with an initial lineup of titles numbering in the teens. The company's stand-alone "micro-console" hardware has yet to be dated for release here, but will be available at the service's UK launch. We're in touch with OnLive with the hope of bringing you more details regarding this morning's announcement later today.
OTOY to launch in 'Q2 2010' through AMD partnership
Y'know, OnLive and Gaikai aren't the only game-streaming services on the block. OTOY has been laying low for a minute, but the "other" game streaming service has finally made its big announcement: it's going to release in Q2 2010. In fact, OTOY isn't just a service for streaming games; there are now claims of streaming movies, PC applications and "other graphically-intensive applications" to any mobile device with a web browser. OTOY will employ AMD Fusion Render Cloud technology, a CPU/GPU server platform that will stream games straight into your see pee youz through the company's software suite. And if you have no idea what that means, check out a demo of the service right here, courtesy of TechCrunch -- basically, it's like playing games on your computer. What a novel idea! [Via Big Download]
Gaikai will be fee-free, utilize 300 data centers in the US
Meeting with Gaikai's founding fathers -- ( from left to right) Rui Pereira, Andrew Gault and David Perry -- this morning, we chatted about the company's unique take on "cloud gaming," particularly how, unlike competitor OnLive, there will be no fee to play streaming games using its servers and in-browser app, and what it's doing to "reduce friction" in trying (and eventually buying) games online. Saying that Gaikai "isn't trying to be PlayStation 4 or take out the next Wii," Perry described (and demoed) the concept of embedding instantly playable games on any website. A publisher can, for instance, have a clickable pop-up appear when people are looking at one of its games on Amazon, which quickly launches an overlay window running the full game, with whatever time limit the publisher chooses. After this period, players can opt to buy the game for unlimited streaming, download it, or have a physical copy shipped to them. What intrigued us more is the ability to Tweet from within these demos, and, if you're playing a multiplayer title, anyone who clicks the link sent to your Twitter feed will be launched into your game. We also got a look at a widget that places a small video of any game you're currently playing via Gaikai on your personal blog, which friends can click to either try the game or actually join the session you're in, if applicable. This demo used Mario Kart 64, in which it was possible for Gaikai staff to drop in as player two, three or four fairly easily. Perry also revealed to us that Gaikai has secured servers at 300 data centers across the US (as opposed to OnLive's five), in addition to inking deals with local broadband providers to install servers at another 900 peering locations -- all with the goal of keeping latency as low as possible. The ideas we saw in action have the potential to shake up the traditional game demo model, for sure. What do you think of what Gaikai's cooking up?
OnLive Beta gets a preview, lukewarm approval
We've now pretty much reached saturation point with OnLive demos, so it's good to finally see an independent set of eyes poring over the service and giving us the lowdown on the actual user experience. Whether you call it on demand, streamed, or cloud gaming, the concept is remarkably simple -- OnLive pumps games via a web browser onto your machine and gives you the full gaming experience without the need for all that pretty, but expensive hardware. PC Perspective's Ryan Shrout "found" a login to the Beta program and has put together a very thorough comparison between OnLive and playing the games locally on the same computer. His conclusion is that latency issues at present make an FPS like Unreal Tournament unplayable, but slower input games like Burnout Paradise or Mass Effect give pleasingly close renditions of the real thing. We encourage you to hit the source link to see side-by-side video comparisons and more in-depth analysis. Update: We had a feeling this one would be kinda controversial and sure enough OnLive and Pc Per have gotten into a bit of a sparring match. Steve Perlman has noted the paramount importance of latency in a blog post, subtly hinting that Ryan was too far out to have a valid experience, while Ryan has responded that he'd be happy to test it on servers local to him if OnLive were up for it, and again reiterated his purpose was to stimulate discussion more than it was to give a definitive judgment on what is still a Beta service.
OnLive shows off UI and iPhone use in marathon tech demo (video)
Sure, OnLive has already done live demos of its "cloud gaming" service, but it never hurts to get another comprehensive 48-minute video on the subject. In a presentation at Columbia University, CEO Steve Perlman goes over the nitty gritty of how game streaming works, the OnLive user interface (11:53), an inevitable Crysis Wars demo (16:35), Brag Clips (17:49), and of course the iPhone app (19:31). Though cellphone integration is still limited to primarily spectating and social networking functions, PCs and Macs can get gaming via a 1MB browser plugin, or you can grab the microconsole streaming box for your TV, which Steve suggests might be given away for free with OnLive subscriptions. If you have any more unanswered questions, check out the audience Q&A at 33:14, and the full vid awaits after the break.
