OnLive UK release date announced

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 11 August, 2011

Launches next month at Eurogamer Expo.

Cloud gaming service OnLive has announced that it is set to launch its UK service on 22nd September at Eurogamer Expo 2011.

It goes live with over 100 "top-tier" games available to try, rent or buy over a broadband internet connection.

OnLive works with HDTVs, PCs, Macs, iPads and Android tablets.

At the Eurogamer Expo 2011, OnLive will hand out thousands of free game systems that work on any HDTV.

"OnLive will utterly transform gaming in the UK," OnLive founder and CEO Steve Perlman said.

"No discs, big downloads or specialised hardware needed. OnLive gives you the latest games instantly, anytime, anywhere on HDTV, PC, Mac, as well as iPad, Android tablets. High-performance gaming as accessible as streaming video, with unique social features such as massive spectating with voice chat and Facebook integration."

UK members have access to the OnLive PlayPack Bundle. Subscribers to this package get unlimited access to a library of more than 70 games, including Homefront F.E.A.R. 3, Borderlands and the original Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition.

OnLive's working with BT as its exclusive broadband partner in the UK. It plans to expand to other European countries and other continents following the UK launch.

Eurogamer - and especially Digital Foundry - has been skeptical about OnLive's claims of being able to provide high-definition gaming over the internet. Look out for a full review of the service by our technical wizard Rich Leadbetter and much more info on the platform around the time of release.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (47) Latest comment 9 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • iHaak #1 10 months ago

    This is going to be a thing alright. Gonna love the reactions.

    For what it's worth I'm certainly willing to give it a go, providing it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg. A free box is a start, I guess!
    Edited by iHaak at 11/08/11 @ 00:09

  • captain_Carl #2 10 months ago

    My internet is terrible and i don't want to pay for stuff which i'll only ever be able to stream.

    So uh, no thanks. if i get one for free it'll be straight on ebay

  • willberry88 #3 10 months ago

    Is this gunna be all weekend or a specific day?

  • Venatio Verified Community & Gaming Manager, Eurogamer Network #4 10 months ago

    It's going to be all 4 days.

  • mk-1601 #5 10 months ago

    I live close to central London and no ISP serving my area offers enough bandwidth to run this service.

    Not that I'm remotely interested after two years of nothing but patronising hype from Perlman.

    Streaming is maybe ok for demos - but games and hardware are plentiful and fairly priced now, it's not 2006 any more. Better luck next gen.

  • TomDent93 #6 10 months ago

    So free stuff?

    AWESOME

    Of course I'm excited to try it too.

  • the_black_xino #7 10 months ago

    I have the US version on my laptop.
    i'm using wireless and I'm on BT.

    with my specs...yes the service runs SMOOTH! And no lag at all!
    Even though I'm downloading, it still runs smooth man.

    A service that can change the gaming industry, the only problem are the games man. The system needs more games.

    Highly recommended!
    Even if you have trash internet connection, you can run this with rare lag or no lag at all.
    Edited by the_black_xino at 11/08/11 @ 00:49

  • MattEdWithCheese #8 10 months ago

    personally don't see much point in cloud computing, as a technology it seems aimed at lapsed hardcore PC gamers who don't want to upgrade anymore. In any case more options can only be a good thing...

  • Vroom #9 10 months ago

    Great scoop guys!

    I shall bring mine back to Ireland with great happiness.

    The one I win.

    At the expo.

    /thinks positive thoughts.

  • MikkyX #10 10 months ago

    Beta tested this on my Virgin Media / Mac connection. Near perfect. If it's gonna be on UK servers now, final piece of the puzzle. Definitely worth a proper look.

  • lockload #11 10 months ago

    Do i have to be on Bt provided connections (ie ADSL with xxx isp) or actually with BT Broadband like BTVision..?

  • paulf #12 10 months ago

    the digital foundry report on this is going to be very interesting

  • SooZee #13 10 months ago

    Onlive in partnership with BT? - BIG mistake

    BT suck

  • BOFH_UK #14 10 months ago

    Really looking forward to this, in theory anyway this could be a major gamechanger. No need for expensive consoles or PC's, the ability to run your games more-or-less anywhere on any device that can run the client and connect to a gamepad, subscription service for on-demand gaming... if they get this right I can see it being very popular in the long run.

  • TechnicPuppet #15 10 months ago

    They have killed it already with the BT exclusive partnership. They should have went ISP independent but if it had to be one ISP it should have been Virgin who are the only ISP with a network suited to this. Idiots.

  • bad09 #16 10 months ago

    FYI the BT thing is just for the console thingie from PC you can use any provider.

    I'm looking forward to this hitting actually, not got much power under the hood until early next year and while I've got more than enough older games to play just fine newer titles are out for the most part. Renting a couple of games from here for a couple of quid will tide me over until I get a meatier PC, when it comes to renting I don't mind being tied to the internet as I've not paid a higher price to own it and with onlive I'm really using their hardware not my own.

    It'll never replace buying and playing locally on your own hardware but it's a very good temporary "make do" rental service IMO.
    Edited by bad09 at 11/08/11 @ 09:09

  • NotSoSlim #17 10 months ago

    Well I need to buy Expo tickets :)

  • TechnicPuppet #18 10 months ago

    I think it would work great for games like Civilization, is that available on it?

  • TruSmiles #19 10 months ago

    Also beta tested it and it's a pretty amazing service, but I'll agree that it needs more games. I'm hoping it will take off and attract more though, as this could be brilliant for people who don't have the proper PC for gaming.

  • Ryze #20 10 months ago

    iPad support sounds the most promising.

    They need a SERIOUS exclusive. If they could get Rage or the best version of GTA V running on it at launch for example, then that could help.

    Relying on a fast, stable BB connection, and the inevitable lag is a serious downfall, however.

    The should maybe work with Sky and get a client built into Sky+HD boxes. They have both USB and Ethernet ports, and can obviously play H.264 video.

  • DDevil #21 10 months ago

    I've really wanted to check this out anyway. Nice one EG.

  • AceGrace #22 10 months ago

    @Bad09

    Hang on a minute. Are you saying that the micro console can only be used with BT Broadband?

  • bad09 #23 10 months ago

    @AceGrace

    As I understand it, for now it's the only provider you can actually get the system from, so technically yes it can only be used with BT. As to whether you can get the system directly from onlive for use with other providers I don't know in all honesty.

    Like I said though on a PC you can use any provider no trouble.

  • KevLFC #24 10 months ago

    I am also using the US version and I have to say it provided a good service. A little lag can be noticed on FPS games but nothing game breaking. The picture quality isn't great either, but its certainly playable. I dont think it would be made to sit in the corner if I assumed that both these issues will be improved greatly when I'm running on the EU server. I'm looking forward to it!

    Having said that, I cant help but think that ultimately this method of content delivery will eventually wind up in a console. It will most likely be used for streaming demo's and movies which seems like it will be a bit of a shame.

  • Incarta #25 10 months ago

    Digital Foundary would never call OnLive shit now they're coming to the Expo.

    Or would they? A cynical person would think not.

  • arcam #26 10 months ago

    Article isn't complete without a link to the classic DF post: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/gdc-wh...

  • Corinthian7 #27 10 months ago

    Got to agree with Captain Carl, without a decent Internet connection you are basically screwed. I like the idea but with the Internet options I have at my address I can't see it being practical.

  • Scoops #28 10 months ago

    Having played on the US service I would say this is pretty exciting. The fact you can try games for free, switch between them quickly and have the whole social system built-in makes the experience quite compelling. Lag has never been a factor though the graphics need to sharpen up a bit to meet the claim of HD gaming. Fingers crossed the UK servers will only improve the service. Amazed they didn't partner Virgin rather than BT but there you go. I believe it normally uses a 5-6mbit connection but can run down to 1.5 ish - decent connection required then.

    Good luck to them - it will be interesting to see the pricing...

  • Stepharneo #29 10 months ago

    So if I was to bring an iPad to the EG expo would I be able to try this sort of thing out, or will there be iPads available, or will it be more the core experience at the expo? Because what is in that video is pretty cool, this is the second time I've watched that footage and it still got me quite excited.

    Also can you confirm that the expo will definitely be using servers from far far away and not just the other side of a wall... call me sceptical.

  • Stepharneo #30 10 months ago

    Oh and "Digital Foundary would never call OnLive shit now they're coming to the Expo. "

    EG called Mafia 2 shit and it was running on like 20 machines at the last expo. (Or was it the one before? No matter, point still stands)

  • natureboy #31 10 months ago

    This exercise reminds me of the early to mid 90's crazy console releases. So know we have Gakai vs Onlive. Who will survive and who will die? or will they both die. Stay tuned to find out

  • Sunyavadin #32 10 months ago

    Good luck with trying to get that up and running with the country's least reliable ISP as your partner.

  • Darren #33 10 months ago

    I tried OnLive for the Red Faction Armageddon demo and while I was impressed with the slick user interface and ability to dive in and out of games at any time, including ones being played by other people, I was far less impressed by the horrid compressed picture quality which reminded me of YouTube at its best (which is to say 'not very good' either).

  • Ryze #34 10 months ago

    Gizmondo vs. Tapwave Zodiac

  • Ginger #35 10 months ago

    Will EG do anything but a glowing review after onlive pay to make their launch at the expo? Only time will tell.

  • Scoops #36 10 months ago

    @Darren

    Yep, the compressed video is my biggest issue with the service. I don't like how the colours get washed out either but I guess it will be up to the consumer to decide whether or not that is something they find acceptable. I will be interested to see how it works over a wired connection (I wonder if WiFi is throttled as they always issue a warning about it on log in) via their gaming box. I hope the better scaling of my TV has a positive effect on the picture.

    Will try and bag on for free at EG Expo I guess!!

  • Daddy-Doom-Bar #37 10 months ago

    For someone like me, it's ideal. Once it launches here it should get better. I've got the US version and I live in the wilds of North Cornwall with a 2.5mb connection and a wireless shitty laptop. It works with no lag but a very pixelated picture. I'm hoping once they turn the servers on over here it should be a lot better.
    It will mean I can play very good games on my cack laptop with no lag whilst the wife watches shit on TV, without having to buy an expensive gaming rig.

  • Seoh #38 9 months ago

    in Newcastle on Virgin Media 30 meg connection and i can play the US version demos perfectly on my macbook. The mouse lag is noticalble but key presses or joypad control is fine

  • Chibi-Kibou #39 9 months ago

    I admit, I don't know enough about OnLive. But.. cloud based gaming.. I don't really own my games then, huh?

    I know that's increasingly the thing, but.. that's a huge turn-off, for me. I've games from two decades ago that I still play regularly enough to count. Will OnLive last that long? What about longer?

    The only way it would be worthwhile is if their streams work at the absolute highest possible quality for any single work, at which point it begins to gain some worth over a hard copy. Else.. oh well.

  • bad09 #40 9 months ago

    @Chibi-Kibou

    You don't own the games because Onlive is purely a rental service. Rental terms are 2 days, 5 days or you have a long term rental where you can rent for the lifetime of the game on the service which is guaranteed 3 years, after that I guess the license has to renewed or something so games may come off Onlive after the guaranteed period and you lose them.

    Don't look at it as a replacement to your buying and playing games locally on your own machine it's just another rental option.

    EDIT - they also have a package option, similar to metaboli where you pay a monthly flat rate and get access to a list of selected games (although looking at the US version that includes mostly older titles) for the period you subscribe.
    Edited by bad09 at 13/08/11 @ 23:32

  • Azradesh #41 9 months ago

    So many paid shills. Shills everywhere. Even people saying "no lag at all". What a blatant lie. I hope this crap dies off asap.

  • Collymilad #42 9 months ago

    Hoping this will be good.

    The US one was decent but the lag was JUST too much to make it annoying. Hopefully the datacentres will be in the UK now and that will help. If it's decent I might give it a try.

  • jumpdeveraux #43 9 months ago

    I'd use this if it was free for demo's of games - try-before-you-buy - perhaps sponsored by the publishers, but given the number of broken games at launch it's easy to see why there are so few demo's these days...

    The latency argument aside - what level of commitment does OnLive give to a subscriber in terms of committing to keep updating their hardware to be able to cope with the advancement of games.

    My point being if the company struggles financially for any reason it's likely the first cost cutting exercise would be to stop spending on new hardware (hundreds/thousands of servers to upgrade/maintain is a significant costbase) and run the new cutting edge games at a lower graphical setting.

    One of the premises of Onlive is that you'll be "gaming in HD" for the cost of your subscription but every subscriber is at the mercy of OnLive's hardware platform and I don't feel reassured the consumer has a robust contract as to the level of service they can expect in return for their coin.

  • CamberGreber #44 9 months ago

    Digital Foundry will Educate people on how trully SHIT ONLIVE IS.

  • marmaduke #45 9 months ago

    So... if there are 1500 people trying to play the PC version of Crysis 2, does that mean they're going to have 1500 high-end gaming rigs set up and just waiting? Because that sounds very, very expensive.

  • White_Westie #46 9 months ago

    I love the idea of it and seems like it good be worth a gamble....

    But what happens in 2 years when all their graphics cards are outdated and they have to upgrade 10,000+ graphics cards to the latest greatest tech?

  • Snake_2011 #47 9 months ago

    after PSN going down physical media is a must.