The service by Playcast hosts games at the provider's end, then delivers the video and sound through the cable television network in a seamless low-latency manner.

Playcast bills the system as "the only live and deployed service of its kind currently in the world." Two similar Internet-based services are currently in development in the US--OnLive, due to launch this fall, streams PC games to TVs or PCs with only a small device needed, and the browser-based Gaikai offers both applications and games.

That Playcast describes the system as offering "PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 quality games" means it is most likely PC-based rather than running on the consoles itself. The company says it will work with "off-the-shelf games," though no titles are named.

Playcast boasts it "allows for seamless integration between TV and games, bringing new business opportunities for publishers, broadcasters and advertisers," opening possibilities for a variety of pricing models. The details of Hot's model are unknown.

The system is said to be in "advanced evaluation phases with the world's leading Cable and IPTV operators," with Playcast expecting to reach "major markets" across the US, Europe and Asia during 2009 and 2010.