Onlive pricing+date announced

[0098386]

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/onlive-launching-june-17-for-pc-and-mac-15-per-month-service-f/

OnLive has announced that its cloud-based game streaming service will launch in the 48 contiguous US states on June 17, 2010. The service will initially be available to PC and Mac owners for a monthly service fee of $14.95. Each game purchase and rental will carry a charge on top of the base subscription.

So it's US only (and doesn't cover all states) and will cost $15 a month including game rental and purchasing? Ouch.

 

[kaltsasa]

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/onlive-launching-june-17-for-pc-and-mac-15-per-month-service-f/



So it's US only (and doesn't cover all states) and will cost $15 a month including game rental and purchasing? Ouch.

LoL at that kind of pricing.

I'm still not convinced they can defeat physics. Control is a sub-millisecond affair. Even with my 20/2 connection I've still got 30-35ms latency to the closest place they are likely to install servers, Chicago. Since the gameplay is all streamed (not just the content) I still don't see how this can work outside of, say, a University LAN or something.

 

[nigameash]

its a nice concept but it ll take a while to catch up

 

[Sambo110]

Too bad it's not in Australia.

 

[niuniu]

I think they have a maximum distance of 1000 miles from the end user to be able to produce the streaming quality needed. I really hope it works, and works well, and they can re-produce the results world over

To be fair I was a bit disappointed when I heard we wouldn't get it in the UK

 

[0098386]

To be fair I was a bit disappointed when I heard we wouldn't get it in the UK

Really? It's a terrible idea and system. There will always be lag, and unlike current online games there will be input lag. So you'd move the mouse and sometime later the character would move, and then sometime later the image on your screen would update.
That was always the problem but also having to pay a monthly fee to have the privilege of buying games from them? I've had Steam for 6 years now. That's $1080 without even buying any games, games I wouldn't even own and once I stop paying a monthly fee, I wouldn't be able to play.

 

[niuniu]

Really? It's a terrible idea and system. There will always be lag, and unlike current online games there will be input lag. So you'd move the mouse and sometime later the character would move, and then sometime later the image on your screen would update.
That was always the problem but also having to pay a monthly fee to have the privilege of buying games from them? I've had Steam for 6 years now. That's $1080 without even buying any games, games I wouldn't even own and once I stop paying a monthly fee, I wouldn't be able to play.

The whole round journey of information with Onlive is within 80ms. 80ms is a benchmark for you being in control (or perceiving of being in control) of your character, ie. it looks and feel instantaneous.

I don't doubt their technology, and like the Onlive guy who gave the tech demo at Columbia Uni said, there will always people who say XXX can't be done, but that doesn't mean it can't happen (he was the same guy who worked for Apple producing Quicktime, when Apple told him no, computers were only for desktop publishing, not for playing video content).

Only thing I didn't spot was that the subscription service didn't include gameplay. I thought we'd pay 15 a month and play what we wanted. And that the reduced cost would have been justified through the lack of a need to produce hard copies, distribute, tax etc by the publisher.

Have to say, 15 dollars, for the right to buy a game.. not so convinced. Rather just buy a box and play on my own machine in that case.

 

[0098386]

I'd imagine the monthly fee will be the first to go.

But 80ms is an awful lot. I play TF2 with a ping of 20-30ms. If someone else is using the network or if I'm on a distant server and it jumps to 50-100ms it just becomes near unplayable with some classes (that's the time to crack out the Engineer ).

 

[txa1265]

Agree - after it lands with a monumental fail-thud when folks realize they are paying $180 a year for what is pretty much XBOX Live ... and then have to pay $50-60 (how I read 'competitive') to 'buy' games that they don't really own ... unless they kep paying the $15 a month maintenance ...

they will quickly drop the monthly fee.

 

[Huntn]

Considering there is no Mac limitations, $15 a month would be very reasonable if the connection is fast and they are not also charging you, much if anything to buy a game. Why buy it? All you are doing is renting the right to play it (although this is the same pricing model as MMOs- purchase plus subscribe.) The advantage is that supposedly you don't need the latest hardware to play these games and no downloads. If the right pieces fall into place, this could be the future of gaming. http://www.onlive.com/ <-watch the video.

DRM, I don't want to think about it. Like if and when the company goes out of business all of your games and game progress go poof...

 

[niuniu]

Considering there is no Mac limitations, $15 a month would be very reasonable if the connection is fast and they are not also charging you, much if anything to buy a game. Why buy it? All you are doing is renting the right to play it. The advantage is that supposedly you don't need the latest hardware to play these games and no downloads. This could be the future of gaming. http://www.onlive.com/ <-watch the video.

DRM, I don't want to think about it. Like if and when the company goes out of business all of your games and game progress go poof...

They charge the 15 a month and then you pay for the game on top of that.

 

[Huntn]

They charge the 15 a month and then you pay for the game on top of that.

It is the same pricing model as MMOs- purchase plus subscribe. Will it succeed? No downloads (+), Min Hardware upgrades (++), No Mac Limits (+++), monthy cost (----). Maybe, maybe not. I realize that for many stand alone games with free online multiplayer resources, players won't want to subscribe, but if you have an older Mac that could not play a new game or it's not going to be ported, you might consider it.