We are pleased to announce that the website for The Cloud Gamer is now live. All the content has successfully been transferred from OnLive1.com and can be viewed by clicking the links up top.
Again, we would like to emphasize that this site is still in beta mode and thus is in the early stages of development. Expect great changes in the upcoming weeks as we iron out the bugs and dish out more great features!
Thank-you for your patience and be sure to sign up for a free account today!
We’ve all heard about OnLive’s (one of the forerunners of cloud gaming technology) negative impact on console systems like the 360, PS3, and Wii, but perhaps the death of console gaming is inevitable. Nintendo may be in a better position than its competitors since it has had a history of sacrificing raw power and the latest technological marvels for innovative gaming, and this may very well extend its console life. Nintendo – the last man standing! But that is going off on a tangent.
There is a growing trend towards digital distribution in the past decade and this is not hard to believe as we are currently in the internet age. Nearly everyone nowadays have access to a high-speed broadband connection. We can see the results in a variety of areas: eBooks can be downloaded and read without walking into a bookstore, while music can be purchased without taking a single step into a music store.
The same holds true for video games even at this very moment. There is already a shift from actual off-the-shelf video games to game distribution services in the gaming industry. Sony has its Playstation Network, Nintendo features the WiiWare, and Xbox’s offers both Live Arcade and Live Community games – all services that download video games straight to the console’s harddrive without a retailer’s lending hand (and heavy pockets). Of course, nothing has come close to the potential impact of cloud gaming technology.
The future of video games is a dark and scary place for retailers. Gamers typically expect a new next-generation console to launch every 4 or 5 years, and retailers expect to make a killing off these hot cakes. But with cloud gaming technology, all the necessary firepower (and much, much more) takes place outside the gamers’ home. No longer is it necessary for gamers to purchase the next-generation console, or the expensive graphics card and computer to play the latest games. These state-of-the-art games can be played in stunning high-definition instantly on nearly any computer (including Mac!), television set, or mobile phone. Gaming will instantly become much more accessible to a greater number of people then ever before. Not only will hardcore gamers be satisfied with cloud technology’s powerful capabilities, but also casual gamers who don’t want to tangle themselves with expensive controllers and consoles.
Apart from the consumers, publishers will also benefit from cloud technology. GameSpot has a quote from Morgan Securities’ Michael Pachter that supports this idea using the OnLive game service as an example:
In our view, the OnLive model will appeal immensely to publishers, who will likely derive greater revenue per sale than is derived through conventional retail distribution. Instead of 20 percent of the game’s purchase price going to retail and another 20 percent to the console manufacturer, OnLive will likely charge around 30 percent (our estimate) of the proceeds, with the balance going to the publisher.
Although cloud gaming has both its upsides and downsides, I believe that the gaming industry as a whole will benefit from the “new generation of gaming.”
At the Wedbush financial conference in New York that took place today, Steve Perlman showed off the OnLive game service on several different platforms: 2 iPhones, a TV, and a computer.
“What is really cool is that all 4 devices had access to the full OnLive Game Service, so they could play the same games, spectate on each other?s (and Beta users?) game play, watch Brag Clips, check out Gamer Profiles, etc.,” said Perlman.
Although this shows that the technology behind OnLive will work on cell-phones, games will mainly be designed for TVs and computers. According to Perlman, there is no date as to when the OnLive service will be available for cell-phones.
“We are not announcing a date for availability of OnLive on particular cell phones just yet. We have further development to do, and we need approvals from some cell phone makers before we can release OnLive to the public. So, for now, OnLive on a cell phone is only a technology demo. But, for those of you who have been asking about OnLive on cell phones, the answer is yes, it is coming.”
At the London Games Conference, Xbox Live EMEA boss Jerry Johnson told the audience that streaming game services like OnLive isn’t ready for mass-market in the near future.
Johnson believes that “streaming technology is something that the industry is betting on longer term… right now I don’t believe that technology can scale out against the experience we can offer on a local machine.”
He also mentions that “the technology will continue to improve. As an industry we’ll have to accept that and move with it – but I don’t think it’s on an accelerated timeline for the foreseeable future.”
OnLive has closed another round of funding on Tuesday with AT&T Media Holdings, Inc., Lauder Partners, Warner Bros., Autodesk and Maverick Capital.
“The funding is much larger than our previous rounds,” says Steve Perlman, the founder of OnLive. He went on to say that the new partners “gives us a serious jolt of rocket fuel as our Beta progresses and we look forward to launching the OnLive? Game Service.”
OnLive is set for a Winter 2009 launch and with the increase in support for the revolutionary gaming service, it looks like everything is going as planned.
The game service had been in stealth development for seven years before it was officially announced this past summer. OnLive was initially met with heavy skepticism as companies including Nintendo who scoffed at the startup. Things seem to have turned around.
“We are both pleased and inspired that our investors share this vision with OnLive. Not only do they see the value in OnLive in particular, but they also understand the significance of what OnLive is doing to lead a massive sea change in interactive media distribution. We are grateful that they have not only provided OnLive with their support, but they have also provided OnLive with such a strong endorsement.”
After a bit of a delay, OnLive is opening its beta program to gamers living in the US.
I’m very excited to say that we are now opening the OnLive Beta to outside gamers who signed up on our website. It?s not too late to sign up if you haven’t already. We are very much looking forward to hearing from gamers all about their experience with the OnLive Service.
I’m sure we’re all waiting for news of the beta and the final release date. According to their PR, there will still be a beta released sometime during what’s left of the summer, but the release could be pushed back pending the results of the beta.
It seems like some other sites/blogs were able to attend the site tests we spoke of earlier. Joystiq has OnLive impressions and photos worth checking out.
The game service was tested in a LA apartment running over a regular internet connection, which confirms our reports. The actual servers were located about 350 miles away in Santa Clara. Four games were demoed on a large LCD TV via the MicroConsole and MacBook Pro with the browser plug-in.
Interesting to note: 15-second BragClips are activated by “[pressing] the right thumbstick down or [hitting] alt-b on a keyboard.”
In summary, the thing works. Games load and play fairly quickly, we didn’t have any hardware on-hand other than the microconsole and their controller, and no physical media like game discs or files. Although the speeds indicate almost full usage of a low-end cable modem connection, which are below normal DSL levels, so you’re probably going to use cable if you plan on getting on this service. OnLive is in the process of rolling out a closed beta, and we’re hoping to be a part of the open beta later this summer.
Great news!
I heard a rumor that OnLive will be doing site checks at a house in downtown LA during the week of E3. I’m wondering who from the TCG community might be in LA the week of the show. If you are local to LA and could attend the site check please let me know. I’m going to reach out to their PR team to find out if I can send some of our community members to test the service running in a real home off a basic home connection. If you might be able to be there please send me your name and contact info ASAP. (Phone and email) Please understand that the tests will likely take place only for a limited time, during that week. (The rumor I heard was Monday afternoon/evening.) Your schedule would have to be flexible or maybe you’d just need to call in sick!
Please read and let me know if you could go!
I’ve spoken to an OnLive rep and they are considering letting us attend. Please EMAIL or private message me your name, address and phone number and I will put you in touch with OnLive.
4mm Games is a new company developed by ex-Rockstar founders Jamie King and Gary Foreman. According to GameSpy, 4mm may develop games for OnLive or Gaikai:
The company hopes to “deliver groundbreaking content with global appeal to a consumer who lives online.” This could suggest that 4mm Games may be looking at a cloud-based gaming service like OnLive or Gaikai.
Eric