
OnLive is a service that is making some very bold claims. Conceptually, it will allow users to play high-end games on their TVs and PCs… regardless of their computer’s hardware specs.
So, how does this work, exactly?
OnLive is a cloud computing service. Your in-game inputs are uploaded to a remote server; it is on this server that your game is being played on. The image you see on screen will simply be a video stream of the game being relayed back to you.
The service creators claim that lag has been reduced to one millisecond in the time between your input and receiving the encoded video. The quality of the video will depend on the speed of your own internet connection – a 1.5mbps connection is required for SD play, while a 5.0mbps connection is required to play your game at a 720p resolution.
Think about that for a second… you could essential play super intensive games like Crysis on a lowly netbook. If this service takes off, it could potentially make hardware necessity redundant.
A number of major video game publishers, including Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Epic Games and Take-Two Interactive have already put their names behind the service, and will be fully supporting it once it launches.
OnLive is expected to go into closed beta later this year. We will definitely be keeping you updated on this one.