OnLive Coming To The UK This Autumn & E3 Announcements Galore
If you don’t already know, OnLive is a digital service that requires only a set-top box style unit, and an OnLive account to play numerous games without needing to download massive files, or use discs. Streaming the games from a server, the service has already been a hit in the USA, and now, it is coming to the UK.
Last night, Onlive issues quite a few announcements, and they are as follows:
100th game, Red Faction: Armageddon, joins OnLive day/date on June 7
- 1st current AAA title, Homefront multiplayer, hits OnLive’s $9.99/month bundle
- Disney Interactive Studios announces OnLive support, joining 50 top publishers
- Facebook integration brings social gaming to console-class games on OnLive
- Intel-based consumer TVs, Blu-ray players, set-top boxes to work with OnLive
- Universal Wireless Controller supports TVs, Blu-ray players, tablets, PCs, Macs
- UK OnLive autumn launch set; onlive.co.uk opens UK Founding Member signups
So as you can see, OnLive as a whole is gathering steam, and soon UK gamers will get to see what all the fuss is about!
A year ago at E3 2010, OnLive opened its breakthrough cloud gaming service to the public with 19 games available for free demos, rental or purchase on PC and Mac®.
Since launch, OnLive has dramatically expanded in depth, breadth and value, while operating continuously 24/7 without a single interruption.
“In just one year, OnLive’s offerings have advanced more rapidly and in more dimensions than any new game platform in history, while maintaining rock-solid reliability,” said Steve Perlman, Founder and CEO of OnLive. “OnLive’s cloud gaming technology allows OnLive and its partners to move at an unprecedented pace with a scope of new offerings that is simply not possible with traditional videogame technology. The best is yet to come.”
OnLive will release its 100th game, Red Faction: Armageddon, on June 7 at 12:01 AM PDT, day-and-date with consoles. Red Faction: Armageddon is another milestone as OnLive’s first exclusive PC demo.
OnLive will also add its first current AAA title, Homefront multiplayer, to OnLive’s $9.99/month, all-you-can-play PlayPack Bundle, which has grown to 60 games and continues to add hot titles like Borderlands and Just Cause 2.
Disney Interactive Studio has announced support for OnLive, starting with two award-winning games, Split/Second and Pure. Disney joins 50 game publishers who have provided games for the OnLive platform, with many more coming.
OnLive has dramatically expanded its social gaming features, including Facebook integration with automatic wall postings of gamer status and Brag Clip™ videos. Users can also instantaneously launch OnLive from Facebook to directly access games, spectate or view Brag Clip videos. OnLive voice chat is seamless across games and devices, both in-game and while spectating in OnLive’s exclusive massive spectating Arena.
OnLive supports almost any PC or Mac, any HDTV—via the OnLive Game System or via an OnLive-compatible Internet TV, Blu-ray or media player—and iPad/Android tablets and smartphones. OnLive has announced partnerships with VIZIO and HTC to integrate OnLive into 10s of millions of their devices. This E3, OnLive and Intel are announcing that OnLive will support 10s of millions of consumer electronic devices powered by Intel embedded processors.
The OnLive Game Service user interface was designed to be used seamlessly across all devices, whether used with a game controller, keyboard/mouse or touch screen; however, some games are designed to be played optimally with a game controller. This E3, OnLive is showcasing a Universal Wireless Controller that works with almost any OnLive-compatible device, be it a TV, Blu-ray/media player, PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone.
Over the last year, OnLive has been offered commercially in North America, and has been in trials throughout the world. This E3, OnLive is announcing that the OnLive Game Service will be offered in the UK this autumn, and will begin accepting OnLive UK Founding Member signups at onlive.co.uk on June 7 at 8 PM BST. Subject to local rules and regulations, OnLive members will be able to use their accounts anywhere in the world that OnLive is available. OnLive will be expanding to other countries after the UK launch.
“OnLive will hit UK shores with a vastly more expanded offering than the US launch a year ago,” said Steve Perlman, OnLive Founder and CEO. “OnLive UK will launch with over 100 games, including the latest top titles, full compatibility across a wide range of HDTVs, tablet/smartphone devices and most PCs and Macs, as well as a wide range of exclusive social features, including massive international spectating/voice chat, Brag Clip™ videos and instant-play Facebook integration.”
OnLive UK will be seamlessly integrated with OnLive’s North American service, allowing spectating, chat and Brag Clip video sharing across the Atlantic. Multiplayer games suited for trans-Atlantic play will be supported as well. UK gamers will find themselves instantly immersed in OnLive’s dynamic and visually-rich gaming experience.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome OnLive’s UK fans to the OnLive community,” said John Spinale, OnLive VP of Games & Media. “Every time we post a message on our social media channels, there are always UK fans asking when they’ll get a chance to play. It’s with great pleasure that we’ll finally be opening our doors in the UK.”
OnLive will be steadily expanding to other European countries as well as to other continents following the UK launch. Subject to local rules and regulations, OnLive Player Tags will give OnLive members access to their OnLive account anywhere in the world that OnLive is available.
Watch for special promotions—and perhaps a few surprises from OnLive and BT—as the OnLive UK launch approaches. As OnLive’s US Founding Members discovered, it’s good to get in early!
Full launch details regarding UK dates, prices and packages, game library, OnLive Game System retailers and specific OnLive events will be announced by OnLive and its partners over the coming months.
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