OnLive UK launch details announced

By Fred Dutton Published 22 September, 2011

Find out how much cloud gaming costs.

OnLive has confirmed pricing details for its cloud gaming service, which goes live in the UK this week.

Available from today, the OnLive Game System itself will set you back £69.99 and includes one controller and HDMI cable. However, if you're heading down to the Eurogamer Expo this weekend you'll be able to grab a set for free while stocks last.

You'll be able to pick up your first individual game for £1, with titles then retailing from between £1.99 and £39.99.

Access to the OnLive PlayPack, which offers unlimited access to over 100 games, will set you back £6.99 a month. Titles offered include Batman: Arkham Asylum, Saints Row 2, Homefront, F.E.A.R. 3, Borderlands, Just Cause 2, World of Goo, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords, Prince of Persia and Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition.

Good news for BT broadband customers - you'll be getting the first three months free of charge.

"It's not part of a contract and we're waiving usage allowances until the New Year. We just want to give our customers the chance to try it, and with more than 100 premium games available, choosing what to play will be the hardest part," commented BT exec Warren Buckley.

The BT PlayPack subscription offer is open to anyone with BT home broadband, 18 years old or above, who registers online before 31st January 2012.

For more on OnLive, check out Eurogamer's interview with founder and CEO Steve Perlman.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (53) Latest comment 7 months ago

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

  • solidSnake04 #1 8 months ago

    it really is happening then... how close or not is gaykai from release date ?

  • shadowdogg #2 8 months ago

    Meh, BT for gaming is like saying Gabe Newell is for dieting

  • gm914 #3 8 months ago

    Welcome to the future- you own nothing, and you better have a fast connection.
    Otherwise GTFO...

  • chrisjm #4 8 months ago

    How many hours gaming after the new year can you get on a laughable 10gb per month broadband connection?

  • PearOfAnguish #5 8 months ago

    Up to £39.99 for a game you don't even own? Get fucked.

  • bobdebob #6 8 months ago

    Don't really see it taking off if games cost £40 and you still have to pay a subscription.

  • metallicorphan #7 8 months ago

    not really sure what the difference would be to just going out and buying the game for whatever console or PC you currently have,but if people want to do it this way and it works,then good luck to them(the players and OnLive)

  • tokenwebster #8 8 months ago

    @gm914

    LMAO!!! ohhhhh that got me lool but this is really confusin me, ok nice price for a console but..........

    1. Grab a set of what for free ?? The whole console ?
    2. Do you have to rent the service AND buy the games ?
    3. Do they realise the UK has piss poor internet ? Why the f can asia get good internet but we cant, surely it cant be that hard ? :S

  • bad09 #9 8 months ago

    Kinda shocked at some of the pricing to be honest, I could own the game for cheaper! Paying a higher price for a game played on medium settings with you tube quality video that's only guaranteed playable for 3 years after which point the game may go?
    I understand there are costs involved in providing such a service but still, paying £35 to stream a game you don't own seems too much, far too much....

    Saying that if you haven't got or played any of the playback stuff £6.99 'ain't too bad I guess. I'm gonna take advantage of the £1 offer and nab Deus Ex HR just play something other than older games on my current intergrated graphics PC. I might bite on 1 or 2 more cheap game rentals to keep me going until "The Beast" is bought next year but once I'm back in the land of the decent gaming PC I really don't see me using the service much.

    Just because it's only a make do for me doesn't mean I think there is no market for it though, all those PCs out there yet only a small number can actually play newer games, throw in playing games tablets and even as a rental model there is room for it and I think Onlive may do quite well there and this sort of thing is a good way to expand the PC gaming market to areas out of reach until now.
    Edited by bad09 at 22/09/11 @ 01:40

  • NunianVonFuch #10 8 months ago

    3 months free and people still complain? No pleasing some folk is there.

  • Snake_2011 #11 8 months ago

    this is not going to last for long imo will never waste my time with it when the next gen comes they will have everything covered

  • FenderMaster #12 8 months ago

    I think the major draw is that it allows you to play PC games you may not have the hardware to run, without the need to keep upgrading your PC every two years.

    I guess it comes down to whether an investment in a gaming PC or a subscription is more economical, as well as your internet connection. I see this more of being in competition with gaming PC's than consoles.

  • Gaiduku #13 8 months ago

    So are the free onlive kits only going to people who attend the weekend EG expo dates or does this include Thursday and Friday too?

  • bad09 #14 8 months ago

    @FenderMaster

    It's not really in competition with either but an Onlive console to play the game, whack the same game (and carry on from the point left it) on tablet or a laptop even a PC is a synergy across platforms that could be tempting for some on console or PC, if they are happy with the limitations this kind of service throws up of course.

    But like I said I don't think it is in direct competition with them, Onlive against a console or decent PC (that really doesn't need upgrading every 2 years!) isn't much competition from what I see.

  • Silvervein #15 8 months ago

    About the argument of being able to play the games your pc can't handle using onlive. After a few months subscribing and using that, the money you paid would be enough to upgrade your pc. And you would actually own the games you pay for, without the need to worry about the net.

  • Vice.Destroyer #16 8 months ago

    After a few months subscribing and using that, the money you paid would be enough to upgrade your pc.?

    Initial cost of £69 and a few months of gaming at £6.99 equals the money to upgrade your PC? Maybe I am out of the loop, but I am sure there are people on here that are still rocking XP computers. And would need a new PC. And a decent gaming one..., actually, I don't even know how much it costs. What does a gaming PC go for nowadays? Can someone come up with prices for a gaming PC that can handle the current roster of games at their highest resolution and with all effects? And maybe a midrange PC price as well?

  • CaptainQuint #17 8 months ago

    "Usage"? As in Fair Usage?

    Get out of it.

  • Whitster #18 8 months ago

    @TokenWebster

    Because a lot of these countries didn't have an existing phone network holding them back. Like most things in Britain we had phones long before other countries but this is now holding us back as the Internet is coming down lines that were never designed for it. Same problem with the underground in London, there's no scope to expand on what was put there over 100 years ago when londons population was a sliver of it's current size.

  • Gearskin #19 8 months ago

    I think this is cool. Im intrigued by it all

  • henro_ben #20 8 months ago

    Well, I'm all for people trying out new ideas, but absolutely no part of this one appeals to me at all really.

    Yes, I am outdated and I'm not prepared to embrace the future.

    Hey you kids! Get off my lawn etc.

  • Zozzilla #21 8 months ago

    Why not just buy the games on consoles instead, since that's effectively what this is? Plus then you can just sell the game when you're done with it. I doubt any gamer will have a PC incapable of running most of the games either...

  • KevLFC #22 8 months ago

    I like they way some people get so crazed about it. Its just another method of delivering content and you get a game for £1. Imagine Sony or Microsoft letting you buy any game at launch for a quid. I've used it and its impressive. If anything its a really cool way of trying a game out before you buy it seeing as most the titles have a 30 min trial.

  • RexRunti #23 8 months ago

    The thing that get's me about all this is the severe lack of hype surrounding the launch. The only people who are aware of it's launch are the sort of people who read Eurogamer and therefore have either a gaming PC or a games console so won't be interested, everyone else won't even know it exists. So for that reason I'm out.

  • Seoh #24 8 months ago

    Wasn't impressed with the quality of the streams from the US service, response is fine but its just not hi def. Will give the UK version a try but i'm not expecting much more.

  • doragonpawwa #25 8 months ago

    So is the playback thing like BT only? its killed my interest for it then if so >_>

  • bad09 #26 8 months ago

    @doragonpawwa

    You can use any provider to use the service, you only get the 3 months free through being with BT.

  • Sir_STRESSHEaD #27 8 months ago

    Our 30MB Broadband with Virgin should be able to cope... we shall see after Expo (if we're lucky enough to get a box!)

  • mattk84 #28 8 months ago

    'Our 30MB Broadband with Virgin should be able to cope... we shall see after Expo (if we're lucky enough to get a box!)'

    Yeh but my dad's bigger than your dad.

  • SooZee #29 8 months ago

    BT suck - period

  • arcam #30 8 months ago

    Yeh but my dad's bigger than your dad.

    So the thread is full of people complaining that Britain's broadband can't cope, but when someone posts that their connection is fine, suddenly he's showing off.

    For the record, I also have an internet service more than capable of streaming video, so OnLive shouldn't be a problem. That is no reflection on your father.

  • raduciu #31 8 months ago

    That is an awesome offer. And the not even owning protesters should know you have basically the same deal on Steam. BTW you don't have to pay the playpack to play the games you bought

  • AlvySinger #32 8 months ago

    At the risk of sounding like an advocate, I've been pretty impressed with the service.

    Signed up for a US account a while back and, racing games aside, the technology works very well. Was playing Metro 2033 last week and, once I'd stopped downloading other stuff in the background, the performance was impressive.

    This was on my, rubbish, work laptop too.

    Yes, the settings are generally on Medium, but for lying on the sofa with a laptop it's a pretty solid experience.

  • Whitster #33 8 months ago

    I would love to have connection fast enough for it, but by circumstance rather than choice, being that Virgin cant get their arse together and run fibreoptics up to my flat, I don't.

  • Vistrix #34 8 months ago

    I've been playing OnLive in the UK for a few months in the now...how is it just launching now?

  • geoneo123 #35 8 months ago

    Hoping to pick up one tomorrow at EG. But this will in no way replace my console!

  • Jon1292 #36 8 months ago

    That sounds like a really high buy-in risk for something that could potentially suck if your ISP isn't up to it.

  • Monkeyspoon #37 8 months ago

    I bet they run out of consoles by Saturday.

  • arcam #38 8 months ago

    I've been playing OnLive in the UK for a few months in the now...how is it just launching now?

    You've been playing on American servers, which will greatly increase the lag. The UK service should be a big improvement on that.

  • Ace-Reject #39 8 months ago

    Nice idea but i'll stick with Playstation 3

  • onezeonx #40 8 months ago

    I just signed up (free) and been playing games fine with my CRAP laptop :D

    All running smooth and top graphics...im only on trial versions tho
    Cool how you can run all the games on crap laptop etc as you are using their systems

    Wont replace my ps3 tho

  • edhe #41 8 months ago

    I'll try onlive when it comes packed in with other stuff, like my tv, or real consoles.

  • mattk84 #42 8 months ago

    @arcam
    So the thread is full of people complaining that Britain's broadband can't cope, but when someone posts that their connection is fine, suddenly he's showing off.

    For the record, I also have an internet service more than capable of streaming video, so OnLive shouldn't be a problem. That is no reflection on your father.


    I didn't complain about my connection and was making a light hearted comment nothing more nothing less.
    I would imagine there are enough decent net connections in the uk to allow them to make a fist of it but in areas such as mine they will struggle but bare in mind that BT are upgrading to superfast so the timing may be just right.

    Edited by mattk84 at 22/09/11 @ 13:02

  • azic #43 8 months ago

    Then came along GAME and spoiled the On-Live party.. With "We wont sell your game if its on On-Live" booo hooo we cant sell it pre-owned booo hooo..

    Oh and that's why the games cost more, because then GAME will be happy.

  • arcam #44 8 months ago

    I would imagine there are enough decent net connections in the uk to allow them to make a fist of it but in areas such as mine they will struggle but bare in mind that BT are upgrading to superfast so the timing may be just right

    I think the one thing that's clear from these comments is that this is not expecting to be in everyone's house from day one - at the moment it's kind of niche, with a view to becoming more and more popular with time. Which sounds like it suits the UK broadband situation just fine.

    It's like someone saying a couple of years ago that internet on your phone is pointless because the 3G coverage is poor. For many people it was, but there were enough people in good signal areas to help the service take off, and its popularity has actually helped companies pull their finger out and start improving the infrastructure.

    I understand it might be annoying if your broadband can't cope for whatever reason, but there are plenty of people in the UK with suitable internet connections, so that doesn't make OnLive itself a waste of time.

  • mattk84 #45 8 months ago

    I understand it might be annoying if your broadband can't cope for whatever reason, but there are plenty of people in the UK with suitable internet connections, so that doesn't make OnLive itself a waste of time.

    I haven't said that it's a waste of time just that my connection would struggle to cope especially with up to 3 people accessing the net for gaming at any one time.

    Reading a bit more about it and it seems that BT broadband customers get a good deal. First 3 months Onlive free with the gaming not counting towards your download limit if you are capped. I like the sound of the spectator feature too.
    It isn't for me though...not yet at least.

  • arcam #46 8 months ago

    Yeah, I realise your comment was a joke so it was probably not the best place to put my opinion, but it was more directed at the multiple comments dismissing this as a waste of time in a 'backwards' country like the UK (despite the fact we have better broadband than the US, where this service was launched).

    Personally, I love the technology but I won't be buying/renting many games because I already have a decent PC. What I probably will use it for is to demo new games. Many PC games don't have demos nowadays, and when they do they are pretty hefty downloads, so being able to just click and try out a new game instantly and for free is something I'm very much looking forward too. If it's an average game that I fancy a blast on, maybe I'll splash out for a 3 day rental.

    The 'try-before-you-buy' aspect might even (whisper it) help to reduce piracy a little.

  • Ryze #47 8 months ago

    Someone grab me a console thing from the Expo please. I'd be curious to REALLY check out the performance of this thing.

  • Ryze #48 8 months ago

    People who want to avoid upgrading their PCs:

    Can your crappy PC play streamed 720p video? If not, then you're S-O-L, as the Yanks would say.

  • FortysixterUK #49 8 months ago

    A bold new scheme.

    Or you could buy a console of your choice and then buy a huge back catalogue of games, that after 6 months, go mostly for a tenner. Oh, ...and own all the physical media.

    No the only thing dumber than this is paying an MMO sub.

    Right, off to play wow now.

  • paulf #50 8 months ago

    Just had a quick go, seems to work well enough. Not sure the games are running at full spec though. It does work a lot better than I thought it would do though

    update: Downloaded a patch and it is much smoother today, still debate what spec systems they are running the games off but all in all its nice and smooth
    Edited by paulf at 23/09/11 @ 19:45

  • attep #51 8 months ago

    The idea seems sound. It should appeal to people with older pc's who do not to make the out lay for new bits but for consoles? With most online retailers offering games for less than the options here and I bought it so I have it forever I can not se this working.
    Example would be I still have my snes, best Mario art ever, and I can go back and play those whenever the lads come over, something onlive is not able to do. I do like the idea though but fail to see the target market.

  • natureboy #52 8 months ago

    I don't se the point of Onlive and Gakai. To put it simply: you are playing old PC and consoles games just streamed online. It offers nothing new that the late "Phantom" did not offer. So not for me and it will always be a niche product

  • super_monty #53 7 months ago

    I got the 3 month package although impressed at fisrt i have stopped playing it because:
    Lag
    The games are no where near top eng pc as described, more like low end and blocky, with some kind of ugly blur
    It doesn't come close to a console
    You don't own the game and when you but one read the small print they only have to keep it on the server for three years I think it is. I won't be purchasing another game after reading that