A new future for video games?

If OnLive, a newly announced games-on-demand service, delivers what it promises you may never need, or want to buy another gaming computer or console again. Ever! We’re quite serious…

OnLive is the brainchild of former Eidos CEO Mike McGarvey and WebTV founder Steve Perlman and it has already been seven years in development. In short, OnLive describes itself as a ‘Cloud’ computing service, where big-name games are hosted on a remote computer. You will never own physical software; instead the games you have paid for are effectively broadcast to you live.
 
What makes OnLive particularly appealing is the boast that it can stream games to your home computer more or less without any delay and regardless of its processing power. Patented compression technologies mean that you’ll be able to use even an entry-level home computer with just a small software download to get things working. Better yet, OnLive also plays direct to your TV by way of a neat set-top “micro-console” (pictured) that plugs into your broadband connection. Wireless controllers and a headset are also part of the package.

Interestingly, the faster your connection to the internet the better your games will look. According to McGarvey: “Games on the TV and PC and Mac will be at about 1280×720, 60 frames a second, sometimes called 720p60. The resolution is really limited by the speed of your broadband connection.”

In plain English those specifications would flatter any TV or computer monitor - for comparison purposes the brilliant next-generation console racer Burnout Paradise runs at the same screen resolution and 30 frames per second.

So what’s the catch? Well, apart from the scheduled Winter 09 release date, the unknown cost structure involved and the slightly clunky controllers there doesn’t appear to be one. Big name third-party publishers like Electronic Arts, Eidos, Atari, THQ, Codemasters, Ubisoft and others equally top-flight have already pledged their support and the OnLive execs are promising that AAA titles will launch on the service at the same time as they hit retail.
 
In summary, then: top games from high-profile publishers delivered direct to your front room without the need for a high-spec PC, pricey home console or even a HD telly, no ugly game boxes cluttering your shelves and little-to-no effort required on your part - ever again.
 
People, if OnLive works as advertised and it gets the games it could be HUGE. Perhaps even bigger than that…!