OnLive's PC and Mac versions of its "cloud-based" video game service begin rolling out to consumers on June 17, the company announced today.
At E3 Game Show, the company announced the OnLive Founding Members Program, presented by AT&T, which is a limited-time, limited availability offer of a FREE 1st-year OnLive membership, with an optional 2nd year at $4.95/month, month-to-month. Users may sign up for the program
here. No purchase is necessary for the free first year, and while there are lots of demos and other stuff that are also free, this offer does not include games, features and other services that are for purchase.
OnLive has more than 20 games available on the OnLive Game Service at launch, including Assassin?s Creed 2, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and Tom Clancy?s Splinter Cell: Conviction from Ubisoft; Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins from Electronic Arts; Batman: Arkham Asylum and Just Cause 2 from Square Enix; Borderlands, NBA 2K10 and MLB 2K10 from Take Two; Red Faction: Guerilla from THQ; Fear 2: Project Origin from Warner Bros. Interactive Games; and DiRT 2 from Codemasters.
OnLive is an "on demand" video game platform delivering the latest games instantly, on any TV via an inexpensive MicroConsole, or on almost any PC or Mac. The company said its service will allow users to play games on any TV and nearly any personal computer -- even stripped-down netbooks and PCs without graphics processors.
Progress made in games is saved, so players can log in from any Internet-linked computer and pick up where they left off. OnLive tends to keeping gaming hardware and software updated.
The MicroConsole that connects to television sets and the Internet so people can play OnLive without computers is a "coming soon device," according to the company. OnLive micro-consoles are about the size of a deck of cards and wirelessly link to hand-held controllers.
No discs, no giant game downloads, no patches or updates, and no high performance computer needed.
OnLive at E3 also had prototype versions of its service tailored for Apple's hot iPhones and iPads as well as smartphones based on Android software backed by Google.
OnLive also creates a live video social network. Every game in play (when permitted) can be spectated, and gamers can record and share their best (or worst) moments in Brag Clip videos.
OnLive has been tested in a variety of locations using a number of combinations of computers, ISPs, displays and input devices. However, it is still possible gamers to run into situations where the they may have to take some action (e.g. reset a cable modem or use a different mouse), or unique situations that the company has not yet accounted for and require further changes to OnLive technology.