Onlive

[Tagger]

Onlive (http://www.onlive.com/)

[Tagger]

From the FAQ section on their site:

What kind of Internet connection do I need to use the OnLive Service?
OnLive works over nearly any broadband connection (DSL, cable modem, fiber, or through the LAN at your college or office). For Standard-Definition TV resolution, OnLive needs a 1.5 Mbps connection. For HDTV resolution (720p60), OnLive needs 5 Mbps.

This does not address the upstream requirement. But, maybe that's not such an issue since the only information leaving your set going to the server would be controller inputs. Maybe some of the more internet-savvy folks here could comment as to feasability and potential issues. My knowledge stops with "is the light blinking? yes? well ok, we must have internet then."

[Chenzo]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2009/20090325.jpg

Interesting idea... 10 years too early.

[Tagger]

One day in the not too distant future we might all take a 100G connection for granted. I hope I'm alive then and not suffering from too much arthritis in my hands to enjoy gaming. That is assuming controllers aren't replaced with mind-reading devices by then (something else I saw an article on not too long ago).

[[SS]Shooter]

Dunno. You think lag is bad now? Now, W@W only sends movement, gunshots, etc. over the net. All the maps and stuff on on the disc/HDD. If the entire game had to stream - maps, textures, etc - no one without a super kick-ass connection could play.

Or is it a download service like Netflix? It just streams the data and you download the game (like DLC)?

[Tagger]

Onlive Offers PayPack Plan (http://www.digitalbattle.com/2011/02/01/onlive-offers-playpack-plan-for-9-99-per-month/)

"OnLive is an interesting service because instead of featuring a video game console that actually requires physical media (or even locally stored media) it does away with that and streams everything from remote locations. This means if your Internet connection is strong enough you will be able to play a whole slew of different titles in all of their high definition glory instantly with no downloading or heading to your local GameStop.

However, in order to actually play the games you have to buy them either for the life of the service or with a monthly surcharge. Luckily, the company has just outed a new plan dubbed the PlayPack that will run you $9.99 per month. This plan will give you unlimited access to a catalog of 38 different itles including BioShock, NBA2K10, Prince of Persia and much more.

I’ve yet to try the PlayPack plan but I’ve tried OnLive and can definitely vouch for it. Hell, you can ever plug your wired Xbox 360 controller into a spare USB port and you essentially have an Xbox 360. Not to mention the fact that this new PlayPack plan may give mail-order video game rental services like GameFly a run for their money.

Check out the official press release after the break.

OnLive Launches $9.99/month Flat-rate Video Game Plan

OnLive PlayPack Offers Unlimited Access to 38 Instant-Play Games; Selection Growing

Palo Alto, Calif. – February 1, 2011 – OnLive, Inc., the pioneer of on-demand, instant-play video games, today officially launched its “PlayPack” flat-rate plan, available for $9.99/month with the first month offered free of charge*. The PlayPack plan announced today includes 38 high-quality games covering a wide range of genres and play styles. Premium, indie and classic games will be added regularly to continuously evolve and upgrade a robust catalog of unlimited-play offerings.

“Countless members asked us for an ‘all-you-can-play’ video game plan, and we’re giving it to them,” said OnLive VP of Games and Media John Spinale. “Now players have the option to blaze through a bunch of amazing titles that they may have missed the first time around or dig deep into one immersive world at a time. It’s a never-ending supply of entertainment-all for a monthly fee that’s a fraction of the cost of a single console game.”

Featured games in the PlayPack launch library include:

· Defense Grid® Gold, Hidden Path
· Evil Genius, Rebellion
· F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
· Frontlines™: Fuel of War™, THQ
· King’s Bounty: Armored Princess, 1C
· LEGO® Batman™, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
· NBA® 2K10, 2K Sports
· SAW, Konami
· Supreme Commander™: Forged Alliance, THQ
· Titan Quest, Gold, THQ
· Tomb Raider™: Underworld, Square Enix
· Tropico 3, Kalypso Media
· Unreal Tournament® 3, Epic
· World of Goo, 2D BOY

Like all OnLive titles, PlayPack games play instantly on TVs via the OnLive Game System and on virtually any PC or Mac® via a small browser download. PlayPack games can be saved while playing from one device and seamlessly continued on another device. OnLive will continue to also offer free game demos, 3- and 5-day rentals and Full PlayPass options for a la carte new-release games.

“The meteoric growth of Netflix reflects the enormous consumer demand for flat-rate instant-play media,” said Steve Perlman, OnLive Founder and CEO. “OnLive PlayPack is uniquely positioned to address this demand in the realm of high-performance video games, instantly delivering games at $9.99/month to TVs, PCs, Macs® and iPad®, and soon Android™ tablets, smartphones and Blu-ray™ players.”

Future PlayPack game selections will be driven by member requests, feedback and suggestions. Upcoming additions to the PlayPack library will also reflect OnLive’s desire to include popular well-known games as well as spotlight great independent titles that players have rated highly but that may not have received exposure via traditional retail channels.

“I am personally a big fan of the all-you-can-eat model,” said Ron Carmel, co-founder of 2D BOY. “That’s how I consume most of my media, and I wish OnLive all the success in the world bringing this model into the realm of games. I would simply much rather pay a monthly flat fee and have a large variety than pay per game.”

The PlayPack subscription plan is available on a month-to-month basis and can be cancelled at any time. In the event of cancellation, OnLive will preserve the member’s saved-game data for a full year. Should that member later opt back into the PlayPack plan, their games can be resumed without having to start play from the beginning.

For more information about the PlayPack plan and a full list of available games, 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. The OnLive Viewer app is available for the iPad and is coming soon for Android tablets. OnLive technology is backed by hundreds of patents and patents pending. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. 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."