Cloud computing service OnLive priced and dated
By Wilson • Mar 11th, 2010 • Category: Industry News
- Photo: OnLive
With our GDC coverage continuing, OnLive, the cloud gaming service has announced the service will be launching on 17 June with the OnLive subscription fee of $14.95 (£10) monthly.
The launch
At the launch, recent releases Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2 were earmarked, as well as yet unreleased AAA games. The service aims to have 60 titles available by the end of 2010.
- Photo: Andres_age
With respect to demand and capacity, a reported 250,000 gamers volunteered for the beta, of which only a small subsection made it in. The company’s ambitious execs believe this is indicative the demand for OnLive cloud gaming services will exceed initial capacity.
The real price
An unexpected revelation has been that gamers will be expected to ‘purchase’ individual titles at an undisclosed fee. In addition to that, the OnLive micro-console, which is basically the starter kit that connects to your Internet and television and includes controllers, will be released come E3 at an undisclosed price tag of as well. Factoring the monthly OnLive subscription fee, the price of each individual game, and the upfront cost of the micro-console, gamers can expect to pay over $200 (£130) for OnLive annually.
- Photo: Microsoft
This makes OnLive’s supposed value, cost saving, almost moot. Sure, for PC gamers who cannot afford £2,500 machines for Crysis, it makes sense, but these gamers are decidedly in the minority. For regular PC gamers, casual gamers and console gamers who can now pick up an Xbox 360 for under £125 with games costing £35 odd for new releases, the long-term cost heavily favours buying consoles.
The big, big question for OnLive is whether gamers are prepared to abandon their beloved consoles or even their expensive Alienware PCs for the cloud gaming experience. Given the OnLive subscription fee, coupled with the barriers to change, the company, just like the rest of us, will know come 17 June 2010.
Tags for this article: Cloud gaming
