OnLive, Inc. is at this week's GDC (Game Developers Conference) to showcase OnLive Game Service, which allows gamers to access titles through an on-demand format. OnLive says it has many top game publishers on board, including Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Take-Two Interactive Software, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, THQ Inc., Epic Games, Eidos, Atari Interactive and Codemasters.
On a TV, gamers plug in the MicroConsole, which is about the size of a deck of cards. On a Mac or PC, gamers use a browser plug-in. In addition to solo and multiplayer gaming, OnLive will offer a variety of community features, including the ability to watch live games in action, make Brag Clips that showcase players' skills, and chat functions. Players will also have immediate access to demos.
The company said it is showcasing 16 titles during GDC in San Francisco. While it didn't give specifics, except a note on its web site that says "Stay tuned," with a countdown timer set for 7:15 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, it did say that Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 is compatible with OnLive. It also said that the product will ship by the end of this year.