If you don't play games on your PC but were intrigued by OnLive, the new cloud computing-based game-streaming service that launched this summer, here's the news you've been waiting for. A standard OnLive "MicroConsole" that hooks up to your TV will be available sooner than you think and at a surprisingly low price.
OnLive Inc. announced today that the MicroConsole will begin shipping on December 2, with pre-orders open immediately. For now, the system will only be available from the OnLive website, though it should be entering retail locations some time next year.
The system will come with the MicroConsole, a wireless OnLive controller, and an HDMI cord for hooking the system up to your TV. The pack costs a relatively cheap $99 and includes a free game of your choice from OnLive. Considering that the games themselves cost as much as $49.99, that's a solid deal.
The controller, which looks sort of like a cross between a PS3 and Xbox 360 pad, has a special row of buttons along the bottom for controlling video clips. You can tap the "record" button at any time, and it will automatically make a "Brag Clip" of your last 30 seconds of gameplay and upload it to your account. Users can browse each other's brag clips as well as watch live gameplay on the system.
As far as the games themselves, OnLive currently has a catalog of over 35 titles, such as Batman: Arkham Asylum, Assassin's Creed II, and Just Cause 2. Major new releases are planned for the near future, including Duke Nukem Forever, Red Faction: Armageddon, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. You can check out the full list of available games on the OnLive site.
OnLive games can be purchased for anywhere from $4.99 to $49.99 for the latest releases. Because the games are streamed over the Internet, you don't have to download anything after making a purchase and can begin playing instantly, but you also have to be online the whole time. In addition to buying games, all titles have a 30-60 minute free demo, and you can purchase three or five-day rentals for $3.99 to $8.99.
The MicroConsole announcement also mentioned that later this year OnLive will add a flat-rate monthly subscription option that will provide unlimited access to a wider library of games. No details were provided on how many games will be covered by this plan or how much it will cost, but we'll report back as soon as those are available.
Still not sure if the OnLive MicroConsole is what you're looking for? We recently got one in the office and are testing it out, so look for a report on what we think soon.