OnLive Announces Release Date

Rumored to be the “console killer,” OnLive announced a June 17 release date and a $15 per month subscription fee.

An OnLive controller and MicroConsole will allow users to stream games onto their televisions. Courtesy of OnLive

Rumored to be the “console killer,” OnLive announced a June 17 release date and a $15 per month subscription fee. The Web-based gaming service will allow users to play high-end games on low-end computers using a browser plug-in. The service can also be accessed on a TV using OnLive’s MicroConsole.

The games will be run on off-site computers. The user can then control them from home using a controller or mouse and keyboard. The images of the game are then streamed online back to the users’ screen. The technology has been in development for seven years and currently has many of the big names in the game industry signed on including Ubisoft, Eidos, and THQ.

OnLive promises that prices for games will be lower than retail, and will also offer a rental service. Since the service is browser-based it can be accessed from anywhere with a broadband Internet connection.

There are a few major pros to the service. For users it means they no longer have to spend money on game consoles or high-end computers in order to play games. No more worrying about system specs, and no more worrying about whether the games will be compatible on the systems they own. Even small netbooks can potentially use the service.

Multiplayer games will also not be restricted by which gaming platform the user is playing on. Anyone with the service can play multiplayer games with others on the service. Since everything is streamed from off-site computers there is also no download time when purchasing a new game from OnLive.