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Gaikai brings its cloud gaming to Facebook, launches beta application
Gaikai's certainly grown leaps and bounds since its early days, and today the cloud gaming firm takes another step by joining the largest social networking platform on the globe. For starters, this first beta of Gaikai's Facebook application is available to North American / European gamers, offering support for browsers such as Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari and Firefox on Windows, OS X or Linux machines. Gamers who've fiddled around with the outfit's previous betas or Walmart's Gaikai powered Gamecenter will know the drill: streaming game demos in the frame of your web browser. Ready to try before you buy? The setup is serving up samples of Saints Row: The Third, Dead Rising 2, Magicka, Sniper: Ghost Warrior, The Witcher 2, Orcs Must Die! and Farming Simulator 2011. Gaikai CEO and co-founder David Perry told us that while the outfit's current Facebook rigging is still centered around demos, it's primed to push full titles if and when a publisher requests it. "Our goal is to get games as accessible as movies and music," he told us "so games get the chance to compete." Gaikai v1.0 is live on Zuck's site now, so click the source link below, pop in your Facebook credentials and you should be all set. Sean Buckley contributed to this post.
Exent's GameTanium Mobile launches for Android tabs
OnLive users may have been dining at the all-you-can-eat gaming table since December, but now it's time for the GameTanium crew to pull up a chair. Game provider Exent has brought its subscription platform to Android tablets and offers unlimited access to titles such as Fruit Ninja, Baseball Superstars and T-Racer HD. The service rolls in at a cent under six dollars a month, and there's a three-day free trial for those with commitment issues. The new mobile service is available right away via a direct .apk, so if you want in, skip past the Android Market and take a peek at the press release after the break instead.
Crytek's Gface hits beta, wants you to stream your games, life
Facebook games just not doing it for you anymore? Than put on your gameface -- or log into it, rather. Gface is an upcoming social network, powered by Crytek, that seems to be gunning for OnLive (or maybe Gaikai)'s cloud gaming foothold. Yes, streaming's the name of the game here -- Gface is powered by Crytek's new Seed Engine, a cloud technology platform that lets users share context aware game sessions, video seeds and personal media. Details are hazy at the moment, but if the network's new beta subscription page is anything to go by, Gface will allow friends to socialize, share live video feeds and stream casual and high-performance games in both single player and cross-platform multiplayer modes. This real-time sharing setup is designed to be a hardware independent, cross-platform network that runs in your browser, powered by the GFace experience plug-in; imagery on the teaser page suggests you'll be able to seamlessly pick up a game of "Warface" on your PC, smartphone or tablet. There are plenty of questions left to ponder about the budding social network, but one picks our brain: will it run Crytek's Crysis? Hit the source link below to sign up for the beta, and if you get in -- let us know.
OnLive now fully supports the Xperia Play, virtual thumbsticks and external controllers need not apply
Earlier this month, the good folks at OnLive released apps for both iOS and Android, granting mobile access to its cloud gaming service. However, its implementation was incomplete -- there was no support for the Xperia Play's slide-out controls. The company didn't leave owners out in the cold for long, however, as it has updated the Android app to fully support all of the handset's hardware just in time for the holidays. So, you're no longer constrained by the vagaries of touchscreen controls or forced to fork over your recently received Christmas dough for OnLive's wireless controller to get your tactile gaming on. Get all the good news in the PR below.
OnLive intros apps for iOS and Android, refreshes its wireless controller, we go hands-on (video)
Look, games like Fruit Ninja can be addicting and all, but we've many times pondered what playing a proper title -- the kind intended for the latest consoles and PCs -- would be like on a tablet or smartphone. Of course, we've seen some fantastic results from Tegra 3 and been notably impressed by Infinity Blade 2 on iOS, but starting today, OnLive is set to one-up the limitations of locally run mobile games with its new app. Whether you're using an Android, iOS device or even a Kindle Fire, you'll now be able to play games from the OnLive ecosystem while you're on the move over 3G, LTE or WiFi, rather than merely spectating in OnLive Viewer. Better yet, the OnLive app itself is completely free and any games purchased can be used across devices, and currently, 25 titles have been optimized for touch-based controls, including a tweaked version of L.A. Noire. However, if you're more inclined to use tactile controls you'll be pleased to know that the company also has a soon to be released, revised version of its wireless controller. Outwardly, the updated controller is looks identical to the outgoing MicroConsole pack-in model, but this one connects to Macs, PCs and just about any mobile device thanks to new "adaptive wireless" technology. Those seeking extra low latency can use its bundled USB dongle to link up to four of the controllers and a single Bluetooth headset for voice chat with one PC. The gamepad's media controls can also navigate iTunes in addition to playback of Brag Clips within OnLive. When it debuts, you can expect to pick one up for about $50 (£39.99 in the UK). OnLive CEO Steve Perlman was kind enough to walk us through using this new bit of kit, so head on past the break for our full impressions and to see the controller in action. %Gallery-141278%
OnLive offering free MicroConsole with Homefront game purchase
Considering nabbing a $99 OnLive Game System to connect your TV to the company's game streaming cloud? Here's another thought -- pre-order THQ's Homefront on OnLive instead for $50, and get a voucher for a free MicroConsole (and a free game) in the bargain. That's the deal OnLive announced the other day, which runs through March 14th, though the fine print says supplies are limited, shipping costs extra, and you won't actually receive the hardware until after the deal expires no matter when you pre-order the game. We're not sure what it says for OnLive's ongoing viability that the company finds itself having to give hardware away for less than half its worth, but we won't look a gift horse in the mouth!
GameString demos its streaming, custom World of Warcraft UI by raiding on an HTC Desire (video)
We're still not ready to apply the label "Gaming 3.0" here (or to anything, for that matter), but despite its boasts, GameString's making a compelling case for cloud-based play time. We've already seen the company bring World of Warcraft to Google TV, but now the company's showcasing its take on a challenge we've seen a few times before -- streaming a playable version of WoW to a mobile phone. (Gotta get 'em out of the house somehow.) The trick here is a streamlined UI overlay that makes for a every touch-friendly experience; there's translucent "thumbstick" spots and larger buttons for spells. The setup in question here is its Adrenalin Host Server from approximately 80 kilometers away (geographically) and an HTC Desire running over a home network that's 2Mbps down / 2Mbps up. And while there's some notable lag and parts of the interface that's still too tiny to really use, it's still an Alpha build that seems functional for all but the most intense of moments. See it for yourself after the break.
OnLive giving thanks to its Founding Members with free MicroConsoles
Have you been riding the OnLive bangwagon from the start? If so, you'll want to heed this little Thanksgiving note from the company, which is offering a free MicroConsole to its early cloud gaming service users -- whom it dubs Founding Members -- provided they've bought licenses for at least two games in their time. The diminutive TV adapter typically costs $99, but qualifying Members will be able to get it for free if they pre-order it now, though they will have to spring for covering delivery costs. As to the more timid among you who only ever bought the one PlayPass, OnLive will let you have a free Full PlayPass (equivalent to a free game) in the place of the hardware. So, whichever way you slice it, it's good to be first.
OnLive MicroConsole official at $99, we go hands-on and bombard you with details
Everybody's favorite instant streaming video game service just came into its own: OnLive is launching the MicroConsole right now, a tiny box that turns your Speedy Gonzales internet connection into a virtual game console. Sure, the company's cloud computing service already lets you do the same from any old netbook -- that's kind of the point -- but the $99 OnLive Game System gives you the leanback HDTV experience complete with a custom wireless gamepad, and (assuming you use HDMI) it'll come with all the wires too when it ships December 2nd. We sat down with OnLive VP of Engineering Joe Bentley to get a handle on the hardware within, and learn about the budding ecosystem you'll be dealing with if you buy in. See what the long-awaited system looks like below, and get the full scoop after the break! %Gallery-107700%
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.]
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 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.
