OnLive is out, and it works - for some

OnLive-590x2641

The futuristic game streaming service OnLive is now a reality, so a massive question is about to be answered: does it work? OnLive claims to let you play any game on its service, however demanding, on your lowly laptop - even a Mac. The games run on servers their end, and the audio and video data is just streamed to you over the net.

Our US team have only just got back from E3, and OnLive isn't available here in the UK, but our indie developer friends Wolfire have been using the service. Jeff's put together a great analysis of how practical the service really is , and the most surprising part is that - for him at least - it works. Low latency, hi-fidelity gaming on a MacBook Pro, via Comcast's cheapest possible broadband package. Check out a video of him playing UT3 through the service, below the fold:

Jeff describes the latency for him as "definitely noticeable, but I quickly got used to it." He's also put up some comparison screens , so you can see the exact quality difference between running a game locally and streaming it via OnLive. But most interestingly, he offers some smart analysis about how the technical side of this seemingly sci-fi idea is practically possible. In a sense, it isn't: except for people who happen to live just a few router jumps from their nearest server.

We'll let you know our own thoughts on how well the service works once we've had a chance to test it properly. You can see the pricing and beta details in our last post on it here . What do you think? Is the lag shown here acceptable to you? Is the concept even appealing?

Latest in Game Development
princeton review best game design programs 2025
The best game design schools, ranked by the Princeton Review 2025
Sharon Tal Yguado speaking at the 2025 D.I.C.E. Summit.
'These kids do not care about romance': Game devs want to know what today's teens want, and surveys say sex and romance isn't it
Palworld early access
Palworld studio's first move as a publisher is to save a struggling indie dev: 'This is the energy I want to see driving games in 2025'
Yakuza/Like a Dragon creator Toshihiro Nagoshi says his studio's new game won't be that big after all: 'it's not modern to have similar experiences repeated over and over again'
A man with a sausage-shaped head
'Calm down!' says Facepunch Studios: Garry's Mod successor s&box is getting a fan-requested sandbox mode and an alternative to 'Sausage Men'
Hellboy Web of Wyrd
Devolver has a new label dedicated to making games based on comics, films, TV shows and 'cult heroes'
Latest in News
The titular character from Princess Mononoke is depicted riding the wolf goddess Moro and carrying a spear.
Studio Ghibli AI image trend floods social media, cheered on by OpenAI and denounced by critics as an insult to Hayao Miyazaki
Marvel Rivals tier list - Wolverine
Marvel Rivals director says a future patch will reduce the shooter's insatiable hunger for RAM: 'It's a very big problem'
Hogwarts Legacy potions professor holding a potion
An unannounced Hogwarts Legacy expansion and 'definitive edition' have reportedly been cancelled
Story of Seasons - A cahacter in a purple tuxedo stands outside in a town square talking to the player
Story of Seasons is doing another Harvest Moon remake and it might be the best the series has ever looked
Assassin's Creed Shadows change seasons - An upper-body shot of Yasuke looking cheerfully up into the distance.
Assassin's Creed Shadows puts up the 'second highest day-one sales revenue in Assassin's Creed franchise history'
A witch riding a broom sails past a Fish and Chips shop.
Cozy gamers rejoice: Witchbrook finally has a release window, and yes, you can fly around on a broom with your friends