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OnLive Announces iPad Support for Cloud Gaming with Optional Bluetooth Controller

Wednesday June 8, 2011 3:11 pm PDT by Arnold Kim

At E3 this week, OnLive announced the coming of an iPad client App for the OnLive gaming service.
OnLive is pleased to announce the OnLive Player App for iPad and Android. Like the recently announced consoles, the OnLive Player App will enable gameplay of virtually all OnLive games on an iPad and Android tablet with touch or OnLive's new Universal Wireless Controller.
We previously covered OnLive demoing this as a "tech demo" but it seems they've progressed to a final product. OnLive has already delivered a viewer app so iPad users can watch live games. Today's announcement, however, extends that to actual gameplay from your iPad.



OnLive delivers console-quality games to Macs, PCs, your TV (and now your iPad) by remotely streaming the game from their central servers. The customer's home computer need not be fast enough to render high resolution graphics -- instead it simply has to play back what amounts to a video stream of the game, while user controls are sent back to the central server.

We spoke to TouchArcade's Eli Hodapp who had a chance to demo the new system which he said worked "amazingly well". The OnLive iPad client will offer a visual overlay so customers can control games using on-screen touch controls to replace the usual physical controller. They also are giving developers the opportunity to implement actual touch/swipe controls as seen in the video above. Finally, OnLive will be offering a physical game controller (photo above) that communicates directly to the iPad through wireless bluetooth. The physical controller is optional but significantly improves the gaming experience. Hodapp described the entire package as a "game changer". OnLive has not yet announced pricing for the optional controller, and had no comment about an iPhone version in the future.

This app seems like it would be find perfect usage for iOS 5's new AirPlay mirroring that would allow you to display the game on your HDTV.
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gorgeousninja
69 months ago
Well contrary to the doom-mongers and naysayers...this looks (in theory).. fantastic.
Rating: 3 Votes
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DustinT
69 months ago
HOLY LAG BATMAN!

Bluetooth to iPad to wireless router to Onlive server back to wireless router to iPad to wireless to Apple TV to actual TV. Rinse and repeat.

WTH? That would be awful!
Rating: 3 Votes
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cRuNcHiE
69 months ago
Considering the lag I get from using vnc to my pc over local wifi, I can't see this being any use surely
Rating: 2 Votes
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Hastings101
69 months ago
That's really neat
Rating: 2 Votes
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KylePowers
69 months ago
I think Apple just needs to come up with a first party controller solution.

I realize they hate buttons, but with all the good games out (and only getting better) and external display options (wired, wireless), I think a sleek controller is the next logical step. It's really only the last thing that separates an iPad from a 360/PS3 (to an extent, of course).
Rating: 2 Votes
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Dagless
69 months ago



It's all coming together, folks. Stay tuned for more post-PC era goodness.


I trust you know that OnLive is the worst way to play games? It's not considered better than "PC gaming", it's a way for people with older/cheaper hardware to play new games.
Rating: 1 Votes
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PowerGamerX
69 months ago

I trust you know that OnLive is the worst way to play games? It's not considered better than "PC gaming", it's a way for people with older/cheaper hardware to play new games.


This, and it works well provided you have the internet connection to support it. I recently purchased a playpack subscription. It's nice to play some new games with a keyboard and mouse, even if there is a tiny bit of latency. It also helps me get around having to boot into Windows to play a game.
Rating: 1 Votes
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palebluedot
69 months ago
This is more enjoyable than PC gaming... how? Just because everyone is obsessed with this "post-PC era" concept? :rolleyes: I'll stick with Steam! That said, having options is always good. I just hope this doesn't mess with game devs conceptualization of games like Team Fortress 2 and L4D2.
Rating: 1 Votes
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fswmacguy
69 months ago
Wouldn't this service require a very high fidelity connection? I couldn't imagine playing something like this on DSL. Seems like users would need a very fast connection at all times.
Rating: 1 Votes
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NameUndecided
69 months ago
I'm speaking as somebody who isn't a gamer -- I've played around with OnLive on my MacBook off and on since the beginning of this year, and I'm really impressed with it. I've also got a good connection and I've not tried it anywhere else but at home. But since it works for me, I'm pleased.

I also don't install games on my computer and play them that way, and I also don't own any consoles, so I've no argument for anyone who plays games more often and can more easily see the differences in quality. But to me it looks and plays great, and it will be fun to see the technology improve over the years.
Rating: 1 Votes

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