OnLive in talks with Sony, Microsoft, and Valve

Cloud gaming provider OnLive wants to be as ubiquitous as Netflix. And to do so, they're in talks with the console manufacturers.

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Cloud gaming provider OnLive wants to be as ubiquitous as Netflix. Already, it has struck deals to integrate its game streaming service with televisions and other electronic devices. However, its biggest victory would come from partnering with the console providers, much like Netflix does. And, discussions are already happening, according to OnLive VP of Engineering Joe Bentley. "There are OnLive guys chatting [Sony and MS], but we'll see where it goes," he told CVG. "But it would absolutely work, we're ready to work with everybody."

Bentley also notes that the similarities between the PS3, Xbox 360 and OnLive controller make it easy to bring the service to one (or both) of the platforms. "Our controller is a hybrid between a PS3 controller and an Xbox controller. It's all compatible, it would just work."

But will either of the platform manufacturers be willing to open their platform to, essentially, a competitor? Right now, it seems like the most likely candidate would be Sony, who partnered with Valve to allow Steamworks integration into the PS3 version of Portal 2. Sony also allowed Vudu, a competing movie delivery service, on the platform, to directly compete with the PlayStation Store.

While OnLive will undoubtedly continue pursuing other avenues for penetrating the television market, the company may have found an unexpected partner: Valve. "Gabe [Newell] and his team really like what we're doing," Bentley added. "I can't go into specifics of any conversations we've had but we have had conversations with everybody in the industry. They really dig OnLive."

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    June 28, 2011 1:45 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, OnLive in talks with Sony, Microsoft, and Valve.

    Cloud gaming provider OnLive wants to be as ubiquitous as Netflix. And to do so, they're in talks with the console manufacturers.

    • reply
      June 28, 2011 1:48 PM

      Interesting idea but I don't see why a console manufacture is going to allow onlive on when they could push for their own downloaded rental system.

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        June 28, 2011 1:52 PM

        onlive isn't a download rental system though

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          June 28, 2011 1:54 PM

          I though they had some part of it that did do streaming rentals as well as streaming purchases? If they don't then it makes even less sense.

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            June 28, 2011 1:56 PM

            what I mean is it's not a case of the game data being sent to the console so it can be processed locally by that user's console. onlive runs a set of redundant game rendering farms whose video/sound are streamed to the user. are you suggesting console manufacturers should enter that market?

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              June 28, 2011 2:03 PM

              No I think that console manufactures are not going risk owners saying "Why do the rendering remotely, are our consoles not powerful enough?" and work on making it quicker to stream the games to the console for playing on the console.

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          June 28, 2011 1:55 PM

          hmmm. good point. onlive is like... souped up RDP or something, right? you just run the game content on foreign hardware?

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      June 28, 2011 1:55 PM

      Would be easier/cheaper to have onlinve service like netflix, would be great for demos, no need to d/l 2.4GB demo to play 5 minutes and realize it sucks!

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        June 28, 2011 2:39 PM

        You'd instead download 2.4GB of video to realize it sucks.

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          June 28, 2011 3:58 PM

          You don't have to un/install it, or wait for it to download. That's what makes it not suck for me

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      June 28, 2011 2:07 PM

      Valve will come with their own online system. Or they'll buy it. It's the future but it's too soon for people to realise this. Give it a few years and you're playing Crysis 3 on your iPhone 6

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      June 28, 2011 2:29 PM

      Sounds like they want to sell their tech to the highest bidder.

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      June 28, 2011 3:03 PM

      I just had a laggy match on L4D2 on the 360, is it even possible to have no noticeable lag in multiplayer games via OnLive even with fiber or maybe some crazy giga-terabyte type connection? Isn't it more about latency rather than internet speed?

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        June 28, 2011 3:31 PM

        idk, every time ive played a game that used OnLive it had slight input delays (which I couldn't do anything about) and to me at least, looked worse than if I was able to install that game on my PC and run it full graphics. It may work better on a console though, who knows.

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          June 28, 2011 5:48 PM

          There is a bit of input lag but it is constant and stable. It's predictable so you get used to it and adjust. I usually only notice it for the first few minutes when I'm playing then I'm adjusted and forget about it.

          One good argument for Onlive right now (for me at least) I fired up the Duke Nukem Forever trial... and the game runs better and looks about the same as it does on my PC. It does make sense for people with slower PC's. Sony of MS could buy the service and use it as a demo trial platform. What I like about it is that many demos are not custom demos.. you literally get the full game but you are only allowed to play for 30 minutes or so. I think sometimes that gives you a better idea of the game than the hand-crafted demo.

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            June 28, 2011 9:11 PM

            "A bit"?

            Last time i tried any shooter was completely unplayable. Input lag is not "predictable" when you need to have your crosshairs *right there* and *right now*, not "here somewhere" and "some time in the future".

            Racing games are only playable with a lot of assists on, the delicate throttle and steering controls necessary for higher difficulties are impossible to pull off, especially when opponents are around you have to react to.

            Games OnLive is suited to are the ones where the gameplay is 100% predictable and no reactions are necessary, only trial and error untill you get it right. Hence i really wonder whether/why Valve is in talks with them. The only reason i can imagine Valve being "excited" for such a deal is when they can somehow rent out the entire Steam catalogue to OnLive, i can only imagine how much cash that would bring in. On the flipside, i don't see anyone at Valve actually using the service.

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            June 29, 2011 1:50 AM

            no excuse for input lag. It shouldnt exist. If it is even slightly noticeable it is an insta-fail.

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              June 29, 2011 2:58 AM

              I can't wait to play games on OnLive with quick time events! Hell yeah!

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              June 30, 2011 6:37 AM

              Actually there is a really good excuse for input lag in the case of Onlive... it's called the laws of physics. You are playing the game on a remote computer... there will be input lag. To Onlive's credit though they have reduced all other lag which was within their control to the point where you pretty much just have the round trip delay of your input to their servers and back. It's predictable and it's stable and you do get used to it. Maybe I just have a good connection and happen to be close to one of their datacenters? For me.. it's really not bad. I can play games on Onlive without much issue.

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      June 28, 2011 5:55 PM

      I thought it would be cool if onlive became a subscription to play the games you own already on steam/d2d/impulse anywhere and also offered timed rentals.

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        June 28, 2011 6:43 PM

        Gamestop will be launching a subscription service leveraging Impulse to do this with physical games purchased from Gamestop. Seems like a good way to break people out of Steam.

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      June 28, 2011 5:59 PM

      Streaming hats.

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      June 28, 2011 9:40 PM

      goddamnit this isn't dead yet

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      June 28, 2011 11:59 PM

      I love the idea of OnLive; not sure why some people hate it, like ETPC1.

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        June 29, 2011 8:03 AM

        nothing major, just represents the death of any possible modding or customization or any control whatsoever on the part of the user

        nothing major

      • reply
        June 29, 2011 8:03 AM

        nothing major, just represents the death of any possible modding or customization or any control whatsoever on the part of the user

        nothing major

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