New Google TVs will have OnLive built in

By Tom Phillips Published 12 January, 2012

Cloud surfing.

Cloud-based gaming service OnLive will be built into the new generation of Google TVs, OnLive has announced.

Google's Smart TV-based platform will come with the OnLive app pre-loaded, eventually replacing the need for OnLive's existing MicroConsole.

The Google TV app will, initially, only let users spectate on other people's games via OnLive's Viewer system. The service's social features will also be available.

"But hang in there, OnLive is working closely with Google to enable full gameplay with OnLive gamers from around the world on Google TV," OnLive chief executive Steve Perlman told Venture Beat. "And more Google TV devices are coming, with OnLive built right in."

US service OnLive was first switched on in 2010, before lauching in the UK at Eurogamer Expo 2011.

OnLive support for Android devices began rolling out last month, with an iOS version due to follow.

OnLive on a tablet.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Phillips

Tom joined Eurogamer in 2010 and has quickly made his mark writing news and columns and coming up with puntastic straplines. Questionable beard.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Phillips archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (27) Latest comment 1 month ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Lexx87 #1 1 month ago

    I didn't even know there was such a thing as a Google TV.

  • frobitz #2 1 month ago

    It's a special TV which gives you extra adverts in exchange for goat porn.

  • coolbritannia #3 1 month ago

    Fantastic. Something I have no interest in will be available on something I have no interest in!

  • InsoFox #4 1 month ago

    @coolbritannia Your comment reaches fascinating levels of pointlessness. Do you sometimes walk into shops and announce 'I'M NOT BUYING ANYTHING HERE'?

    edit: this sounded a bit mean on second read, but I was only having fun. I do wonder sometimes why people comment to say 'I have no interest in this story' though ;)

    Anyway as for this news, it seemed inevitable it'd end up in TVs one way or another. Still doubt whether OnLive will ultimately succeed, but I think something like it will at some stage, and being built into TVs is an interesting step in the right direction.
    Edited by 1 at 12/01/12 @ 15:30

  • jpj84 #5 1 month ago

    Nani!

  • evnewell #6 1 month ago

    Crazy, I know, but does anyone else think to themselves:

    'hmmm they have the ability now to look through the camera on my android device - they can listen to me through its mic, even when the device is off... do I really want to put one of their TVs in my living room?'

    I know it sounds a little crazy, but these Apple TVs and Google TVs are easily able to capture sound and video. They're also making TVs with Kinect built in. These are TVs that can watch you.

    Part of me doesn't want a telescreen in my living room.

  • HerrQwerty #7 1 month ago

    @InsoFox
    You jape, you.

  • dadrester #8 1 month ago

    i had my first go using OnLive the other day. Now bear in mind mp PC is fucking awful, stuttering at 720p youtube videos and is currently connected via a crap wifi signal... I was VERY impressed with how well it worked and how playable batman was. Whilst I can't see myself using it over my consoles, if i were upgrading my TV this would definitely be a swaying factor, not least for all the PC exclusives I will never be able to play otherwise.

    I've got to say i'm very impressed with the UI , presentation and social features of it too. Much more so than with Gaikai.

  • Dizzy #9 1 month ago

    I am sure the 10 people with a Google TV will be very excited.

  • WinstonSmith #10 1 month ago

    OnLive is a pretty impressive way of getting high-end games on a cheap device. Perhaps the mainstream will tolerate its limitations. With all the costs associated with launching loss-leading console hardware, it does make you wonder about these streaming services..maybe not yet but..

  • arcam #11 1 month ago

    The other good thing about this is that (in theory at least) graphics can keep getting better and better over time without the need for purchasing any more hardware.

    You can be playing much better and more powerful games on the same TV you bought ten years ago. This is a very big advantage over the traditional console.

  • overcorpse #12 1 month ago

    @coolbritannia Yet you felt the need to tell the world this news.Douche.

  • berelain #13 1 month ago

    By the time Smart TV's are standard (and judging by the fact that a lot of people don't even have a HD TV, this will be a good few years yet) I can see all games being provided through streaming services like OnLive. Infrastructure isn't good enough to support the product yet in the UK, but its getting there.

    There'll always be a market for boxed games and your own machine to run them on, of course. But I can see things changing. Consumers are already getting into the almost instant gratification of being able to download a game on their phone / tablet / console / pc and play it right away; if you don't have to install it at all, that'd be even better for many people.

  • CaptainQuint #14 1 month ago

    I'll look forward to picking one of these up in three years for 399.

  • Whitster #15 1 month ago

    @berelain Your probably right. Considering we live in a country where we're still having to advise people how to switch over to digital TV a decade after it launched, it'll be a while until smart TVs are commonplace. By which time we'll have seen the next generation of consoles come and go and the UK internet infastructure may finally caught up to the users needs.

  • BigDannyH #16 1 month ago

    Any news on the iOS app yet EG?

    The longer it goes unreleased the less bothered I am about trying it out.

    On the other hand it's making me think Apple are considering releasing their own iOS comparable controller. Will turn my iPad into a genuine games console (I refuse to play crappy touchscreen throwaway stuff).

  • Ror1984 #17 1 month ago

    Hold on, there's mention of a telescreen and then a comment by a user called Winston Smith?? Oh dear God, it's all coming true, isn't it?!

  • DrStrangelove #18 1 month ago

    Oops. Google joining the home console market there, the others should take care.

  • dadrester #19 1 month ago

    @Ror1984 and only late by 28 years :D
    Edited by 1 at 12/01/12 @ 16:40

  • Ror1984 #20 1 month ago

    @dadrester - and the year crops up in my name... Conspiracy?? If so, I'm apparently in on it!

  • Ryze #21 1 month ago

    This is what they need.

    Fantastic for them. Now they just need the right promotion to go with the TV, and for broadband infrastructure to improve.

    Nice going - this could have been a complete turkey.

    They should target hotels and Virgin Media / Sky (and relevant overseas services) next. If they could get it running on their boxes, which is technically possible, then they're in there.

    Still doesn't appeal to me though.
    Edited by 1 at 12/01/12 @ 19:25

  • whatfruit #22 1 month ago

    If starcraft 2 was on Onlive I would already be using it.

  • madjim #23 1 month ago

    Don't know... Tried it for the first time a few hours ago (I mean the Onlive), and it's ok... The lag is pretty acceptable in Arkham City for example (but it's not perfect), I've got minimum freezes due to streaming, and generally it was not bad. But I didn't like the graphics at all. I was playing at a 24'' monitor at 1920X1200 resolution and I was under the impression that I'd see better graphics. I don't know if it's due to my Internet speed (6 Mbps) and if quality changes when speed increases, but why should I select lag, occasional freezes, the fear of being unable to play if the service or the provider goes offline, and inferior graphics when I can have none of the above by playing traditionally and with better pricing as well?

  • Sharzam #24 1 month ago

    Onlive has the potential to be really dangerous to Microsoft gaming sector with movements like this.

    Not so much Sony thourgh as they can always focus on the TV side of this. Hell who knows they already made a TV with intergrated PS2.

    Althourgh as already mentioned we are long way off Smart TVs being common place. TV sales are struggling enourgh as it is as people just cannot justify the big high end sets.
    Edited by 1 at 12/01/12 @ 20:25

  • SpaceMonkey77 #25 1 month ago

    Glad to see something happening with it, but fear what it means for the future of physical games as we know it. Having a PC and 360, I still love the fact that many games have demos as standard. not needing a PC to try one, really has the potential to broaden gaming a bit more, beyond us gamers.

    Big question is once these tvs are in homes more, will users know how to access On Live? Many people out there still can't program their videos etc.

  • CaptainKid #26 1 month ago

    RIP consoles?

  • LOLBox #27 1 month ago

    Post deleted at 17:38:00 15-01-2012