Streaming content has effectively removed the need to purchase physical copies of music and movies but up until now video games were thought to be too data intensive for the same treatment. A new gaming company is aiming to change that and OnLive is banking that the future of the gaming industry will be as stream based as the rest of the media industry. Dec. 2 the company will be releasing a gaming console that it claims is capable of streaming today’s latest releases.
According to the release, “The sleek, pocket-sized OnLive MicroConsole TV adapter, backed by high-performance Internet-based (cloud) game servers, delivers an unprecedented gaming experience, launching top-tier games in seconds instead of the minutes they take to start on high-end consoles or PCs. Whether players are checking out a demo, joining a premium multiplayer game or watching people from around the world play games live, with the OnLive Game System it’s as effortless—and as fast—as changing channels.”
If the company can get this technology to catch on then the expensive hardware typically associated with high-end gaming could quickly become obsolete. Though some critics state that networks cannot handle the latency needed to send and receive interaction processes in a video game OnLive is claiming to have found solutions and will begin offering the console for $99 shortly with games ranging from $4 to rent and $50 to own. The package comes with a wireless controller similar to those for the Xbox 360 or the PlayStation.
Chris DiMarco is a Web Editor for TechZone360. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University. Prior to joining TMC Chris worked with e-commerce provider Suresource as a contact center representative and development analyst. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Chris DiMarco
