OnLive 'works on cell phones too,' says Perlman

by Ben Gilbert { Nov 14th 2009 at 8:00PM }

We've been pretty skeptical of OnLive's many futuristic promises. From streaming every game ever to anything with a decent internet connection, to being able to end world hunger (okay, we made up that second one), it's kind of an enormous leap to be taking from our current standards. In an effort to keep us on our toes, the company just this week announced that not only can the service stream games to households, but also to cell phones. "Today, at a Wedbush financial conference in New York I showed OnLive running simultaneously on two iPhones, a TV, and a computer," said CEO Steve Perlman.

"It's important to understand that a cell phone is a very different beast than TV, PC or Mac ... currently, games on OnLive are tuned for TVs and computers, so initially, it's the Community and Social elements of OnLive that we're most excited about on mobile devices." OTOY has already proven that mobile gaming of this level can exist, but we're still not convinced anyone wants to play the full console/PC version of games on their phone. Impressive? Sure. Functional? That has yet to be seen.

Tags: game-streaming, iphone, onlive-game-service, otoy, steve-perlman, streaming, WedbushMorgan

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Orchard Pear @ Nov 14th 2009 8:10PM

So now you can stream games with terrible controls, too?

Sign me up!

Cheesus Crust @ Nov 14th 2009 9:15PM

And with over 300ms ping!
Terrible controls + Terrible ping = win!

Nytrojen @ Nov 14th 2009 9:20PM

Now to begin a service that streams a decent control scheme. Patent Pending!

devilsei @ Nov 14th 2009 9:31PM

Sweet! I can play Crysis on my Razor phone! All those high-def amazing graphics and the tiny screen of my phone will hide it all! Not to mention the controls the game will provide! Is that a tiny crumb, or my aiming cursor, or an enemy soldier? Who cares! I got crysis on my phone!

edes @ Nov 14th 2009 10:31PM

Two negatives make a positive? They sure do in OnLive!

Flo @ Nov 14th 2009 8:11PM

Anything that enables Crysis on my Virgin Mobile phone I approve of.

Kurian @ Nov 14th 2009 8:58PM

Crysis will RAPE your Virgin mobile.

Autopsy15 @ Nov 14th 2009 9:02PM

Crysis rapes virgins. Confirmed.

Hydrophobicfish (PSN: HydrophobicFish) @ Nov 15th 2009 4:38PM

Kurian, while Crysis would wreck a phone... the phone's not actually running it... the phone is just displaying a video of it running. Phones can pretty easily handle video (now, streaming of HD video, is another bad all together... but still.)

borntokill @ Nov 14th 2009 8:13PM

Sounds interesting. But letme see it on my netbook first. If true = sold.

Flo @ Nov 14th 2009 8:14PM

Yes, I bought a EEE PC 701, the original netbook :D I would love to game on that.

Meh @ Nov 15th 2009 9:21AM

There's no such thing as a netbook.

URM0MLIK3SME @ Nov 15th 2009 7:13PM

There's no such thing as Meh.

Your world = exploded

MystileArmor @ Nov 14th 2009 8:14PM

I don't even want it on my pc, let alone an iphone.

Call me a crazy Dutch bastard, but tangible media is what I want. I don't mind the occasional DLC to download, but fuck, if all my SNES games were on a computer somewhere I'd probably wouldn't be able to play 'm anymore either. And don't talk about ROMS, that's still not the same thing as playing the console.

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 14th 2009 9:30PM

You may be a Dutch bastard, but you're not crazy. I prefer physical media any day, no matter how much room it takes up.

After all, if it weren't for physical media, where else would we get helmets, crappy figurines, posters, steel cases, and massive boxes?

Sly @ Nov 14th 2009 9:36PM

i prefer physical media for my home consoles. for handhelds, i always buy digital if i can.

edes @ Nov 14th 2009 10:31PM

Crazy Dutch bastard

Spongehead56 @ Nov 15th 2009 1:34PM

As far as I'm concerned, physical media wastes more money and space than it's worth. Switching to digital distribution will increase profitability and save me space in my entertainment center.

whookid @ Nov 14th 2009 8:15PM

Works on cell phones with an infinite power source....?

Mr Mobius - the wandering artist @ Nov 14th 2009 8:19PM

It'd work for stuff like Prof Layton but not games more dependent on many buttons at once.

That Guy @ Nov 14th 2009 8:22PM

There is no way OnLive will work, no way in hell unless they've made a contract with Satan to void the laws of physics for their network. No fucking way.

I used to not understand how people could actually think this would work, but then the whole IW dedicated servers fiasco started, and it became readily apparent how little people get about basic networking.

OnLive's investors are going to get a rude awakening when this goes the way of the Phantom.

gamedude420 @ Nov 14th 2009 11:06PM

um they did sorta get an investment from AT&T

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 14th 2009 11:09PM

Yeah, there was this 'revolutionary' new console a few years back that got backing from Panasonic, Goldstar, and a whole bunch of other big companies too.

You know it as the 3DO...

Just because a big company threw money at it doesn't mean it's good.

That Guy @ Nov 14th 2009 11:09PM

And what exactly does that change?

Bane @ Nov 15th 2009 12:06AM

IW didn't screw up anything. It was a 3rd party in charge if the servers.

IW did how ever release a game almost as addicting as Heroine Hero.

That Guy @ Nov 15th 2009 12:57AM

@ Darth,
Sorry, was replying to gamedude, in case there was any confusion.

@ Bane,
Clueless much?

William Wolf @ Nov 16th 2009 4:44AM

@That Guy
I think he was saying that AT&T was Satan.

Zing @ Nov 14th 2009 8:28PM

I was skeptical about OnLive, i didnt like it because i thought it would drive the consoles out if business, that all changed when i got my new netbook, now the thought of playing Crysis or Sims3 on my netbook is positively stupendous my dear heart, bring on OnLive i say old bean.

MystileArmor @ Nov 14th 2009 8:49PM

Console Makers: "DEY TUKK UR JERBS!!!

Traceur_Ryuk [Founder of The Anti-EMCB(tm) and co-leader of ATDF] (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Nov 14th 2009 9:09PM

" i thought it would drive the consoles out if business"

LMFAO, Lolwut?!

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 14th 2009 9:22PM

Good luck. I've got a high end netbook and it can barely run Knights of the Old Republic...

Sly @ Nov 14th 2009 9:37PM

for onlive, it doesn't matter what the specs of your computer are (or so they say).

DBuck_Eye @ Nov 14th 2009 10:38PM

DEY TOOK 'IS DOG!

chispito @ Nov 15th 2009 11:59AM

If netbooks struggle to play full screen 360p from Hulu, what makes you think they will be able to handle this at any acceptable framerate?

mars @ Nov 14th 2009 8:34PM

all you'd need is a dualshock 3 with a necessary cell phone driver or something, and an outlet to charge your phone while playing...

Lucas @ Nov 14th 2009 8:34PM

Nice photoshopping, but you forgot the reflection.

MystileArmor @ Nov 14th 2009 8:50PM

You do know you come off as an asshole right? Just to be clear.

BigD145 @ Nov 14th 2009 8:59PM

The iPhone and OnLive are vampires. They don't have reflections.

Autopsy15 @ Nov 14th 2009 9:00PM

It seems they overlooked...
*puts on sunglasses*
...the reflections.

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHH!!!

That Guy @ Nov 15th 2009 1:04AM

Get me some coffee...
*takes off sunglasses*
...because that meme is tired.

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Hakaisou @ Nov 14th 2009 8:37PM

The more I hear about OnLive, the more I am reminded of The Sega Channel and the Gizmondo handheld. I want to believe that it'll be usable, viable, and successful, but it just seems like they are promising the world things that can't yet be delivered.

Stupidiot @ Nov 14th 2009 8:39PM

"to anything with a decent internet connection"
... Shit.

sony boy (6 years til sony man child!) @ Nov 14th 2009 8:39PM

omg, just imagine the horror of playing street fighter 4 on iphone.

MystileArmor @ Nov 14th 2009 8:51PM

Tell that guy that holds you at gunpoint, making you play games you don't want to play, to knock it off.

sony boy (6 years til sony man child!) @ Nov 14th 2009 10:06PM

ok, that just made no sense. i'm guessing that's a reply fail....

marzz @ Nov 14th 2009 8:56PM

Okay, let me put it this way.

The games will be nigh-unplayable due to input lag, no matter what you do.

I connected my PSP directly to my PS3 using remote play, in the same room.

I was playing a PS1 game. There was a half-second of input lag, just in the same room, even with all the settings set to the fastest possibilities.

Streaming a game using OnLive is a complete impossibility.

BigD145 @ Nov 14th 2009 9:00PM

It'll be like playing PS2 games on a 3" screen.

Autopsy15 @ Nov 14th 2009 9:03PM

"Shadow of the Hard to Distinguish Colossus."

BigD145 @ Nov 14th 2009 11:59PM

Is that a weak spot or a stuck pixel?

Traceur_Ryuk [Founder of The Anti-EMCB(tm) and co-leader of ATDF] (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Nov 14th 2009 9:03PM

"but we're still not convinced anyone wants to play the full console/PC version of games on their phone."

Hell yeah I do.

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