OnLive 'Console Killer'

[Noodles]

"A gaming service that aims to kill off the traditional gaming console will begin streaming popular games over the internet in June this year.

OnLive, which launched to much fanfare in 2009, announced details of its service at the GamesBeat conference. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8556874.stm

Wondered what you all make of this.

I think I have problems with the idea of not actually owning the game - while it seems you can buy games, the system works in a way that means you wouldn't have any of the data on it.
Also the fact that they are talking about bringing it to TV, I wonder what kind of hardware would be required.

[Psy]

It does work but it's not great for FPS games or anything fast-paced. I would link you to a preview I read a while a go but unfortunately I can't remember where it was from.

[marnamai]

I don't like it at all from what I've read.

While some may think it is just the next step in digital distribution and its somewhat alike the natural evolution of steam, it is NOT.

It would be nice if this service would co-exist with the current methods, but it should never replace it.
- as it hurts the retail market (I love boxes, tbh I 've never bought a game via steam)
- and hurts console producers (sony, mircosoft, ect ...) /pc hardware producers (ati, amd, intel, nvidia, msi, asus, gigabyte, ect ...) maybe even publishers and I don't think they are very happy with that.


1) You don't own the game.

2) There is no offline => meaning if the service is down you can't play.

3) If you live in a remote location, have crappy internet or isp's bottlenecking your connection, then it will pretty much be a steaming pile of shit.

4) If you have crappy internet and/or you share you connection with other users in your home:
- your video steam will lag horribly if another user is downloading.
- time out issues.

5) While this would be a great way to prevent piracy (as the crackers don't have acces to the data), I fear it may violate some of my consumer rights. link 1 link 2

6) It may mean the "death of modding", meaning you either don't have acces to tools and the game devolpers are less likely to release the tools.

7) Unfair pricing for buying a game? The publishers will not have to invest in distributing and producing the dvd's and if gamedevolpers can sell directly to the service, publishers won't even be needed anymore. But will the price drop accordingly?
I guess not, if you look at the current market, example steam: a game on steam is the same as retail prizes, occasionally even more expensive (example cod4mw2 retail 59.99€ / steam 59.99€ =/= $ + taxes) while they don't have the extra costs of publishing the game (printing on dvd, cases, distrubution, ect). Easly 20% maybe even 30% less costs (I don't know the rates publishers work at).

I feel like the monthly fee is just another way to shake some more money out of our pockets. I am sure that OnLive could survive on the money they get from a full priced game they sell when the publishers costs are cut out.
Hell they only need a server park, some techs and occasional repairs/maintencance.


I would like to hear more opinions on this subject.

[Killswitch]

marnamai said pretty much everything. OnLive is not going to be a console killer. Technology still needs to jump a lot forward before consoles are replaced with something else. Consoles are going fast to the direction of which OnLive represents, but OnLive isn't just good enough for everyone and people might not be ready to let go of their consoles just yet.
Though I have no reason to disbelieve that people who live in big cities and have good internet connections, are going to like OnLive and it may be a better solution for them than buying a console. But for people like me, who live in countries with only one or two big international companies and the companies that "distribute" internet connection are so damn crappy, the connection would be an issue and probably not the best solution would be buying OnLive.

[Chopium]

Whatever it is I don't like it. I like running the files by myself. I get more control.

[Major Banter]

I'll take my console. Cheaper, faster, better.

And above all else;

I can move it around.

[Killswitch]

Good point Banter. Consoles are also important pieces of furniture

[Phott]

Good point Banter. Consoles are also important pieces of furniture

Yep, I love sitting on my Xbox, it's as useful as a stool.

[Killswitch]

Hah. I guess the 360 is only good for sitting on it