OnLive "can't predict" when iPad app will launch

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 8 December, 2011

You can't buy games from within iOS app.

OnLive has no idea when its iPad app will launch.

Following this morning's announcement that the cloud gaming service had begun rolling out on tablet devices, users noticed only the Android version was available.

Now, over 14 hours later, the iOS app is yet to materialise.

"Unfortunately, we can't predict when the OnLive iPad app will be officially released," a spokesperson told Eurogamer. "We'll certainly post it on our website when it is available."

Meanwhile, OnLivefans reports that the iOS app will not allow purchases to be made from within the app - unlike the Android version.

It claims the reason for this is Apple's in-app purchase rules - Apple requires a 30 per cent cut of the profits from any purchases made within any app downloaded from the App Store. Fans are speculating that OnLive may be forced to remove in-app purchases from the iOS app to secure its release.

OnLive this morning announced its move into the tablet market and launched its free Android app, which works on Android tablets and smartphones.

The new client brings the full OnLive experience to tablet devices, using existing payment options and working with the entire catalogue of nearly 200 titles. One OnLive version of a game works across all devices, with cloud saving intact.

Accompanying the roll-out of the app is the announcement of a £39.99 Universal Wireless Controller, a new Bluetooth OnLive control pad that communicates directly with most tablet devices and works with almost all of the games on OnLive. It comes with a USB dongle that plugs into PCs and Macs, but it will in the future also work with other connected devices, such as Blu-ray players and TVs. It launches on the OnLive store imminently.

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 (14) Latest comment 5 months ago

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

  • GamesConnoisseur #1 6 months ago

    Is confused?!

    How did Onlive App been downloaded onto my iPad as of this morning?! I understand that for this to work, I must purchases on PC with my Onlive Account and then play on iPad.

    Not yet tried it though!!
    Edited by GamesConnoisseur at 08/12/11 @ 17:02

  • killercow #2 6 months ago

    @GamesConnoisseur that's because it's the old viewer app from last year. You can only watch games with it.

  • tinyspark #3 6 months ago

    Apple are indeed greedy fuckers. No doubt about it.

  • DarthInsinuate #4 6 months ago

    The App Store approval process is black magic. You send it off and it'll appear for customers some time between 2-4 weeks from now.

  • RealoFoxtrot #5 6 months ago

    @tinyspark steam employ the exact same rules

  • UncleLou #6 6 months ago

    How did Onlive App been downloaded onto my iPad as of this morning

    There seems to be an older Onlive-related app in the store, same thing happened to me this morning.

  • Whitster #7 6 months ago

    So they don't want to pay the piper of in-app purchases on iOS, but were earlier talking about getting on live/PSN where similar arrangements are probably in place?

  • arcam #8 6 months ago

    I don't suppose it matters that much. Presumably you could just go to the OnLive website through the iPad browser and make your purchases there.

    EDIT: @RealoFoxtrot The difference is you don't have to use Steam if you don't want to.
    Edited by arcam at 08/12/11 @ 18:08

  • gandhimaster #9 6 months ago

    @arcam lol and you don't have to buy an iOS device if you don't want to.... ;-P

  • arcam #10 6 months ago

    @gandhimaster I mean from a dev's point of view. If you want to release a game on iOS, you have to go through Apple.

  • gandhimaster #11 6 months ago

    @arcam absolutely i was just being an arse.... i still feel the 30% is justified, as long as a developer has another avenue to get purchases from outside Apple's garden, as it were. If Apple provide the app, the customers and all that extra revenue they should be able to take a slice. But as long as its not the only way...

  • natureboy #12 6 months ago

    Anyone know when Gakai will launch?

  • Jamba #13 5 months ago

    OnLive have generally handled their PR very well since launch in my opinion but I really feel like they have fumbled concerning this.

    Firstly, they knew that the iOS submission would take longer, so they should planned for the Apps to go live on the same day.

    Secondly. the OnLive service has the potential to bring a LOT of use to a tablet. They should have been consulting with Apple about how to approach this. At the moment it does seem like they just walked up to them and said "here you go!" and waited for a reply. That might be why they are having to re-jig the app now.

  • AdbulAbay #14 5 months ago

    NEWS!