Cloud based gaming is about to become a reality with the launch of OnLive on June 17th. This week is going to be huge for the video game industry, and OnLive hopes to bring gaming to everyone (on any platform) with their unique approach to gaming. As Macworld reports,
“For the unfamiliar, OnLive is a cloud computing based service that places the burden of processing on OnLive’s servers, not on your computer. This new technology effectively allows OnLive to use any Intel-based Mac as a high-end gaming machine.
The OnLive Game Service is available in two different forms—either through a “MicroConsole”—only about the size of a deck of playing cards—that plugs into your TV and uses your broadband Internet connection, or through your Mac or a PC connected to the Internet and configured with a small browser plug-in available for download from OnLive’s Web site. (source)”
The 1MB client available for the Mac (That’s right - 1MB) allows users to connect to OnLive to try out demos for free, with full titles ranging from $5 to $59 in price.
Of the Launch Titles, Macworld reports that,
“…titles will include Ubisoft titles Assassin’s Creed II, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction, and Price of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. From Square-Enix, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Just Cause 2. From Electronic Arts, Dragon Age: Origins. Finally, from Take Two Interactive Entertainment, Borderlands.”
CEO Steve Perlman of OnLive, also tested OnLive working perfectly with the Apple iPad (though MacWorld mentions the Macbook Air has had heating issues when using the service, similar to its problems with playing Flash video).
“Perlman is emphatic that his service will work on the Mac. “Every Intel Mac runs OnLive. We’ve tried them all,” he admits. That includes Mac minis, MacBooks, iMacs, and Mac Pros—but sadly no PowerPC Macs.
Turning your old Mac mini into a machine capable of running Assassin’s Creed II is only the beginning. Perlman claims that OnLive has had successful demos with the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. One demo included the high-end sci-fi first person shooter Borderlands running on the iPad. “It works beautifully,” Perlman beams, but is obviously limited by the iPad’s touchscreen interface.”
My gut intuition is saying that if you take Apple’s camera kit and hook up a USB Xbox 360 Controller, magic is bound to happen. Though we’ll leave OnLive to read this suggestion as a challenge: make this work please.
Otherwise, with new Mac minis being released this morning, you can have a multimedia PC for your TV, the complete experience of Snow Leopard, and now a gaming console with OnLive.
Make sure to check out Macworld’s report for the latest information.
