OnLive launches Beta service.

Thursday 3rd September 2009 - 17:00


Console-free games on demand comes one step closer plus Lost in Shadow Wii screens



OnLive, a hardware free game streaming service that was first unveiled at the GDC show back in March has finally started to roll out a Beta trial service so gamers can test the claims for themselves.

"I'm very excited to say that we are now opening the OnLive Beta to outside gamers who signed up on our website," commented OnLive founder and CEO Steve Perlman. "It's not too late to sign up if you haven't already. We are very much looking forward to hearing from gamers all about their experience with the OnLive Service."

He added: "One of the key challenges that OnLive technology addresses is providing a high-quality, fast-response gaming experience over a wide range of situations: different speeds/locations/types of broadband services, a variety of different PC and Mac configurations, several kinds of input and display devices, etc. So, a major focus of OnLive Beta is to test as many of these different situations as we can."

We must admit we were more than a touch cynical about the possibility of streaming games on demand - latency issues (the time it takes a player input to be sent, received and processed by a central server) made us think this type of technology was 'vapourware' - but the launch of a new Beta trial should hopefully clear up the doubts we have. Any gamers looking to try the service for themselves should register at www.onlive.com.

From cutting edge games delivery services to plain old cutting edge games. We've got some brand new screens of a brand new game. Lost in Shadow isn't set for release until mid-2010 but we've got some hot off the press screens to show you. The game mixes unique platform elements and levels of puzzling, to challenge the player. The combination of light and shadow creates a unique blend of game styles, with the shadow boy character altering shapes of surrounding objects' shadows, creating walkways to previously inaccessible areas, and adventuring into a world never before seen on Wii. It's impressive stuff and due next summer.