Sony Google TV Blu-ray player drops OnLive support
By Mark Raby
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Sony has axed support for OnLive game playback on its newest Google TV-powered Blu-ray player. Here's the kicker – the player hasn't even shipped yet; it isn't due to release until July 9. But after the company announced that it will acquire Gaikai – an OnLive rival – it seems like an infinitely understandable decision. Incidentally, Sony never confirmed any sort of OnLive partnership.
However, it was discovered that in the technical specifications and documentation for the impending Blu-ray device, Sony listed OnLive connectivity as an optional accessory. Now, however, the company has wiped any reference to OnLive in connection to the player. What most likely happened was that Sony was working on the Gaikai deal behind closed doors, but wanted to have the OnLive compatibility there just in case.
Or, it could very well be that the team working on the Google TV Blu-ray player had no clue about Gaikai and so they just put OnLive connectivity there since it is compatible with Google TV products. It will be interesting to see Sony specifically exclude one of the newest Google TV services from a Google TV product, but that's the way the business world works.
Surprise, surprise: Sony drops OnLive support for streaming media player after purchasing Gaikai
Sony has dropped the option for the OnLive cloud gaming service in an upcoming media player in the wake of its $380 million purchase of Gaikai. We're so surprised.
OnLive never announced a deal to get its cloud gaming service into Sony products. But we spotted a very interesting reference to OnLive in a new Sony product: an Internet-streaming media player that comes with Google TV.
As you can see in the specifications section below, OnLive's gaming controller/universal serial bus dongle were listed as an optional accessory for the Sony device. This means that the device was going to come with OnLive preloaded. This was the first sign that Sony and OnLive had a deal in place, and that could be a big boost for cloud gaming. Sony's new media player is available for preorder now and ships on July 9.
But Sony confirmed today that the media player no longer has OnLive as an accessory option.
OnLive streams games from remote servers in a web-connected data center, or "cloud." This means that high-end games can run on low-end machines, since the actual processing and rendering are handled elsewhere. This means that you can play high-end, console-quality games on a TV set (embedded with the OnLive app) without the need for a game console. All you need is a controller, such as the one listed below.
Since Gaikai effectively does the same thing, and Sony has purchased the company, it could probably substitute Gaikai's gaming service for the OnLive capability at some point.
OnLive already has announced deals with Vizio and LG, which both plan to ship TVs with the OnLive player built into them. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in June, OnLive showed how you can find the OnLive app via the Google TV user interface on upcoming TVs from LG.
Sony, of course, is a different animal. OnLive can help enhance Sony's TVs and Blu-ray players by making high-end games available on TV sets. OnLive's rival, Gaikai, announced a deal to provide cloud gaming for Samsung TVs.
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ONLIVE MICROCONSOLE REVIEW
Posted by Vaughn.H
Cloud gaming looks set to be the future whether you like it or not, and while streaming service OnLive has been around for a little while now, it's only now that I've been blessed with an internet connection that doesn't cry when download a webpage. For the last two months a little black box has been sitting underneath my television set delivering big name games right to my TV without me having to put a disk in a drive or download a gosh-darn thing.
I couldn't even put a disc into the console if I wanted to. The rather un-inventively named OnLive MicroConsole TV Adaptor doesn't even feature a disc drive for you to stuff, and because of the complete lack of moving parts – it doesn't even need a hard drive – it's absolutely tiny. Feeling about as big and as heavy as two iPhones taped together, although maybe still a little thicker, this tiny baby is a solid piece of aesthetic design. It's black glossy exterior with tapered edges and a pleasingly symmetrical front makes its unobtrusive presence in the living room seem even better when you do notice it.
The MicroConsole comes in a rather stylish, almost carbon fiber, looking box. Its design shows that OnLive have really taken aesthetics into mind with this product, even the controller – which resembles an Xbox 360 pad in build quality and in its general layout – although the d-pad has more in common with Sony's controller. Setting it up is a breeze too, with the only caveat stopping the design from being utterly genius is the need for an ethernet connection to connect the device to the internet. This decision is clearly down to a wired connection being faster and more reliable than a Wi-Fi one, however it means I've had a very long ethernet cable trailing through my house for the last two months – something that really isn't very practical.
Once you delve into the secrets the black box holds, or at least plug it in and get going, OnLive is a rather impressive piece of kit. While it's currently available on tablet devices and computers, having it right in the centre of your living room is very handy, as sitting down to enjoy a game with a hot laptop on your legs or sitting at a desk for hours just really isn't as relaxing as slobbing it on the sofa with a bag of Doritos and a pot of salsa.
Thanks to OnLive being entirely streamed content, the visuals of a game are always the best they can be thanks to the servers running them, and as OnLive are responsible for upgrading that you'll always be running the latest hardware. I sat through some Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dirt 3, Driver: San Francisco and some Batman: Arkham Asylum and every title was pretty damn impressive to look at and play. Comparing them to the console versions I've played, they stack up quite well with image quality only dipping when my connection slowed slightly due to others using it. At no point was there any lag, tearing or dropping of my connection. For a moment I was genuinely sold on cloud gaming and the service OnLive provides, the future was inside that little black box, however these feelings didn't last too long.
Looking through what you get on OnLive, and the prices you'll be paying, it's quite hard to decide if it's really worth making the jump to game streaming. An attractive PlayPack subscription service is certainly tempting as it offers up 200 games for you to play, as well as offering discounts on many titles across the service too – but many eligible games are rather old and for any serious gamer the PlayPack is just not worth the time and money – that is unless you want to widen your collection of games you'll never play. The services ‘latest releases' are games that have already been on the market for a fair while, and any self-professed gamer would have already snapped up. When titles hit the service from day one, then it'll be worth the time of day.
OnLive also brings in a raft of social features such as Friends Lists, Spectators section, and ‘Brag Clips' – user recorded videos of their in game actions. While these all sound like pretty good community features, they just don't quite cut the mustard as many of the spectator sessions are dull play throughs of older games with relatively inept players pissing about. What the service needs here is a dedicated account for showcasing new content and titles, or providing walkthroughs for others who may be stuck. Friends lists also are largely unimportant as it's yet another list you need to fill if you want to enjoy any online modes, but it's unlikely that you'll have any real-life friends who also own an OnLive account or system – and who will be online at the same time.
Ultimately, the OnLive MicroConsole's biggest problem is itself. The free to download and install OnLive Desktop version is actually a much more attractive proposition as it means you can pick up and play some classic things here and there, or demo some games you fancy. The MicroConsole on the other hand means that it actually has to compete for your attention against your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 – something it really can't do. Why would you wait an extra month or so for a title you really want when you could just pick it up for a console you already own? And because you either bought a physical copy of the game or downloaded it to your hard drive, it means you wont have to endure that ghastly wire across your home or have a continually active internet connection just to play your games.
It seems that the MicroConsole is really better suited to those who want to play casually instead of seriously, yet for the price is it really something a casual player would want? OnLive needs bigger games sooner, it needs a deeper community infrastructure, and ultimately it needs to ditch that wire and deliver itself as a more attractive package. The future may be in cloud gaming, but it isn't ready quite yet.
Audio/Visual: 4/5 - Visual quality changes from game to game, and really can't be judged, however it was nearly always a smooth picture and fantastically sharp and responsive during our play test.
Gameplay: 3/5 - Ok, this is actually more how easy it is to use, and it's really pretty painless and simple. The menus however are a bit heavy, and it's not as attractive as just logging on and pressing a button to get to a game, but still it's not bad.
Innovation: 3/5 - This is really where OnLive should really excel. It offers some grand ideas, but doesn't follow through on them like you'd want it to. With more refinement though it could be killer.
Value: 3/5 – If you pick up the MicroConsole it'll set you back ￡70, which isn't bad for a console, but then you'll be paying on top for a subscription and to purchase games that aren't exactly the newest around. The desktop version however is a much more attractive prospect due to being free. PlayPack also provides you with plenty to play if you're not bothered by the latest titles.
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Big Fish Games bets on the cloud with a cross-platform casual gaming service
The cloud is quickly becoming an integral part to the future of the game industry, a vision that Sony clearly believes in when it recently acquired Gaikai, a cloud-based gaming service, for $380 million. Gaikai's rival competitor, OnLive, hasn't been doing so bad for itself, either.
Amid this ongoing war between services that stream PC and console-quality games over an Internet connection, the casual gaming space has been left untouched. Big Fish Games, the mega publisher of casual games for PC, Mac, and mobile devices, is looking to change that.
Last week, Big Fish gave us a sneak peek of its (unnamed) cloud gaming service - a first in the casual games market – that is set to launch this summer.
"There are others looking at core [games] streaming," said Will O' Brien, the VP and general manager of cloud gaming at Big Fish Games, "and the technology behind that needs to be super-low latency and high bandwidth. They're trying to solve a different problem than we are. We're really excited about what we have here. We know it's something you can play today."
O'Brien brought an assortment of Android tablets, along with an iPad and a laptop, to prove his point. With the help of his 4G hotspot, he showed us two different types of games running on the service: a popular tile-matching puzzle game and a hidden-object title.
"So what's happening is that the game's initiating a session with the server and streaming down to this [tablet]," O'Brien said. "So the device is locally decoding the video. When I tap, it's sending a click signal to the [remote servers]...it's taking this game that was originally built for the PC and now making it work on a tablet without changing the source code."
Like Netflix, Big Fish Games' service can dynamically adjust the quality of the video, depending on how strong or weak your Internet connection becomes. At first, it was somewhat difficult to play the hidden object game due to how pixelated the video looked, but the picture quality cleared up a few moments later as the connection strengthened. O'Brien then showed us the same game running side-by-side on two different devices: Once he exited the game on a tablet, he immediately picked up where he left off on a laptop.
"[Our service] is fulfilling that vision and that promise of cross-platform ubiquity without having to build the games to support every platform," he said. "So I think it's really disruptive and groundbreaking in the industry and Big Fish is in a position [to do that] because of our brand, our millions of customers, our developers, and the content we have."
According to O'Brien, it wasn't until recently that the technology was feasible enough to create a seamless multiplatform gameplay experience. "[We started working on this 18 months ago] because consumer broadband rates have been increasing," he said. "We can meet the mainstream customer's profile today, [where] the average Internet speed in the U.S. is about 3.2Mbps, and we're targeting a 1 to 2Mbps. So we can meet that.... This is bleeding edge, but also viable."
Though Big Fish Games has released over 2,500 titles at its online portal within the last 10 years (releasing one new game every day for six of those years), its cloud gaming service will start out with just a small selection of that catalog. When it launches later this summer with a proper name and branding, around 100 games should be available to play on demand, with new games added every week.
Pricing has yet to be announced, but O'Brien said they're considering the usual all-you-can-eat subscription, along with a possible free-to-play model with limited content and ad-support. And while their cloud gaming service is currently running on PC, iOS, and Android, Big Fish Games will reveal specific platforms that support it later on this year.
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Vizio Co-Star player marries Google TV, OnLive cloud gaming
Addition of on-demand gaming and a low price gives you a reason to care about Google TV.
First teased at CES 2012, Vizio's Google TV plans are now moving forward with the launch of the Co-Star Stream Player.
While we're still waiting for Google TV to fulfill its promise, the Co-Star makes the most of the platform's current capabilities by combining live TV and streaming services. Along with wired and wireless Internet connections for Web surfing using Google Chrome with Adobe Flash Player and HTML 5 support, apps, and streaming video and music services, the player can be connected to a cable or satellite TV box.
As an added bonus for both casual and regular gamers, support for OnLive's cloud gaming service is available, too. Though it was initially only supposed to support viewing games, it now appears that you'll be able to demo, watch, and play OnLive's large game library with the Co-Star.
The Co-Star is priced at $99.99 direct from Vizio, which is extremely competitive especially in light of Sony's recent Google TV entry, the $199.99 NSZ-GS7. An OnLive microconsole is the same price as the Co-Star, however that includes a controller; the Co-Star, though compatible with OnLive's wireless controller and several third-party controllers, will only include its universal Bluetooth remote.
The remote does look nice, though, with a touch pad, full QWERTY keyboard with gaming buttons, and direct launch buttons for Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and M-Go (but oddly no OnLive button).
Connections include two HDMI ports (one in, one out), Ethernet, and a USB port for hard drives, keyboards, or other peripherals. There's 802.11n wireless built-in, too.
Pre-orders start in July 2012 on Vizio's site and include free shipping while supplies last.
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EA President Says EA Gaming is Going 100% Digital
Gamers have known for years now that the transition to all-digital gaming is coming. For PC gaming, that transition has already largely taken place, with services such as Valve's Steam, OnLive, and EA's Origin. However seeing the future coming and hearing an executive at one of the largest video game publishers in the world confirm it are two different things.
This week Frank Gibeau, president of EA Labels, said in an interview with Games Industry International that EA is "going to be a 100% digital company, period." Gibeau is in charge of EA's product management and marketing for EA Sports, EA Games, Maxis, and Bioware. If anyone in the industry knows the direction gaming is headed it, it's him.
Of course, all-digital gaming will also allow EA to have more control over how gamers play their games. EA was named "worst company in America" by The Consumerist this past year for on-disc or day-one downloadable content (DLC) for its titles and for banning users from accessing their Origin-bought games. An all-digital gaming industry will mean publishers having complete control and oversight of gamers' gaming habits, and will probably mean an end to the second-hand game market.
The real turning point for gaming going completely digital is when consoles do away with their disc drives in favor of digital downloads of games. Gibeau stated that the digital shift is "in the near future," so perhaps he is hinting that the next generation of consoles will not have disc drives. There have already been rumors that the next-generation Xbox console will do away with discs. However, with Sony motivated to keep the Blu-Ray format alive, and Microsoft wanting its Xbox brand to be the center of customers' living room entertainment experience, it seems likely that at least the next generation of consoles will have Blu-Ray disc drives.
Why Apple Should Start Streaming Games
On Monday, Sony Computer Entertainment acquired cloud-based game streaming company Gaikai for around $380 million in a move that is sure to excite fans of the company's PlayStation devices. If the Japanese company uses its purchase to create a compelling alternative to OnLive, it has the potential to gain a huge advantage over rivals like Microsoft and Nintendo.
The same service could provide an even bigger advantage to Apple. In fact, there are a number of reasons why the Cupertino company should use its ever-increasing cash pile to make Mac and iOS gaming even greater.
Devices
Firstly, it already has the devices: The iPhone, the iPad, the iPod touch, Macs, and even the Apple TV are all devices that are perfect for taking advantage of a cloud-based game streaming service
iOS devices are perfect for taking advantage of a cloud-based game streaming service.
iOS devices have already proven themselves as incredibly popular gaming devices, and they're already stealing chunks of market share from handheld consoles like the PlayStation Portable and the Nintendo 3DS. Furthermore, the success of titles like Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, and Temple Run are proof that we love to play games on our smartphones and tablets.
As for the Apple TV, we've been waiting for Apple to introduce apps and games to its set-top box since it opened the doors to the App Store. And of course, Game streaming services are famous for their ability to deliver high-quality games to devices with mediocre specifications, and so the Apple TV's A5 processor means no internal improvements would be necessary. Even its 8GB of storage is plenty, because nothing needs to be saved locally.
The only thing Apple may need to add is a controller, but for a lot of games, we could use our iOS devices for control.
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The Cloud
Apple is already pushing us to live in the cloud. iCloud, with features like iTunes Match and cloud-based backup, is proof of that. And there's a good reason for this: As the Cupertino company strives to make devices cheaper, smaller, and lighter, one of the big hits will be to storage.
As Apple strives to make devices cheaper, smaller, and lighter, one of the big hits will be to storage.
We've already seen this with the MacBook Air - a fully-fledged notebook computer that can be purchased with just 64GB of storage. And the iPhone 4, which is now available with just 8GB of storage.
But titles like FIFA 12 and Infinity Blade II take up more than 1GB of storage on our iOS devices, and that's a problem if you only have 8GB to begin with. What's more, most of us only play these games for short periods of time, and no one really wants them stuck on their device all of the time eating up their space.
By moving our games to the cloud, we'll be saving all that storage. You can remove big games safe in the knowledge that they'll be there for you to stream whenever you want them - just like the rest of your library.
The other advantage to this is that we can wave goodbye to those hefty updates. Every time we update an app, we don't just download a "patch" or "fix" - we have to download the entire package each time. But with game streaming, our games will be updated automatically in the cloud ready to stream to our devices.
Of course, you'll still have the ability to store chosen games locally, for those times when you don't have access to a speedy broadband connection.
Syncing
With game streaming, it wouldn't matter which device you're using; you would simply pick up right where you left off the last time you closed your game.
Right now, one of the biggest problems for iOS gamers is the lack of syncing between devices. That means you must complete the same levels, missions, or achievements on your iPhone after you've completed them on your iPad. There are already ways around this, but not nearly enough developers are taking advantage of them.
With game streaming, it wouldn't matter which device you're using; you would simply pick up right where you left off the last time you closed your game. It couldn't be more seamless.
Pricing
Apple wouldn't need to make any changes to its existing price model whatsoever. We'll pay the same amount we currently do for Mac and iOS games, only we choose whether to store them locally or stream them from the cloud.
The only difference would be a small annual fee - like the $25 we pay for iTunes Match - for our share of cloud-based storage.
Wrap-Up
A service like this is one way of making Apple's impact on the games industry even greater.
So there are a number of reasons why it would be incredibly easy - and incredibly beneficial - for Apple to kickstart a cloud-based game-streaming service of its own. The company has already had a huge impact on the gaming industry with its iOS devices, and a service like this is one way of making that impact even greater.
Would you like to see a game streaming service from Apple?
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