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CES 2011: OnLive game streaming service comes to Google TV

Viewer app to begin with, full service to follow

CES 2011: OnLive game streaming service comes to Google TV
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With smart TVs providing the cutting edge at CES, it's totally in keeping that Google has signed up streaming game service OnLive to its Google TV platform.

For the time being, it's just the Viewer application that being made available for Google TVs but as OnLive' CEO Steve Perlman points out, that's the usual first step when the service comes to a new platform.

"...Hang in there, OnLive is working closely with Google to enable full gameplay with OnLive gamers from around the world on Google TV," he says on the Google TV blog.

Yet, ironically, given the rumours about forthcoming Apple's TV hardware, the OnLive service still remains to be approved by Apple for use on iPad. It came to Android devices in late 2011.

Out of the box

At CES, TV maker VIZIO is demonstrating the first Google TVs that support the full gaming OnLive service.

"Play the first 30 minutes of almost any of OnLive's 200 games free and buy only what you like, or subscribe to the OnLive PlayPack Bundle for unlimited access to over 140 games. No discs, no big downloads … just like the instant media experience you've become accustomed to with Google TV," Perlman enthuses.

From the post, it also appears that some Google TVs will come with the OnLive app embedded.

"And more Google TV devices are coming, with OnLive built right in," Perlman says, but as you need the $50 proprietary OnLive controller to play games, users won't be able immediately jump into gaming, unless TV OEMs are prepared to do bundle deals.

[source: Google TV blog]

Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.