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OnLive Creating Netflix Instant Watch For Games
Whether you own an Xbox 360, a PS3, a Wii, or heck, even just a laptop, chances are if you like movies, you've probably used Netflix's popular instant watch service. Though the breadth of content isn't always the greatest, instant view has the bonus of being able to say, "Hey, I want to watch The Human Centipede" on any given night and having it ready without any delay. If OnLive's new subscription service works as promised, we'll soon have the video-game equivalent of Netflix instant.
Today OnLive revealed new details about its upcoming flat-rate subscription plan, which was originally announced alongside the release date for its microconsole. Titled the "OnLive PlayPack," a subscription will cost users a budget friendly $9.99 a month. For that recurring fee, players will gain unlimited access to a percentage of the games available on the service.
The PlayPack subscription service is available as a free beta beginning today for anyone who has purchased an OnLive game system. PC or Mac-only users will need to wait until the official launch on January 14, 2011, to access the service. Games currently available for PlayPack include the following:
Prince of Persia
NBA 2K10
Tomb Raider: Underworld
F.E.A.R. 2
Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X.
Unreal Tournament 3
Wheelman
LEGO Batman
Defense Grid Gold
Saw
World of Goo
OnLive is expecting more than 40 games available on PlayPack by the January launch, which is a little surprising since the overall OnLive service currently has fewer than that. Here's hoping they can hit that target. The PlayPack catalog will continue expanding with indie titles, classic games, and recent releases.
Once the subscription plan launches, new releases will be available for regular purchase or rental on OnLive. Some older titles will only be accessible via the PlayPack subscription, while some titles will remain available both via PlayPack and individual purchase. Strong support for the subscription program suggests an understanding from OnLive that gamers probably don't want to pay full price for games that they don't own and have no guarantees they'll be able to continue playing indefinitely.
For more of my impressions of OnLive, you can check out my hands-on with the system. That piece was written before these details about the subscription service had been revealed, and I have to admit, I'm a big fan of this idea. If you're a gamer looking for a cheap way to access a variety of games at any time you want, this plan could move OnLive from a possible consideration to a strong likelihood.
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