I had expressed doubts about the value proposition of OnLive in my review, and OnLive has been addressing these commonly held concerns in a couple of ways. First, they introduced the MicroConsole, which starts shipping today. That $99 device allows you to play any OnLive game on your home television … well, so long as the game supports it!
Today we learn of a new PlayPack system from OnLive. For $9.99 per month, subscribers get unlimited access … to certain older and cheaper games from the library. Here is a sample:
•Prince of Persia®, Ubisoft
•NBA® 2K10, 2K Sports
•Tomb Raider™: Underworld, Square-Enix
•F.E.A.R. 2, Warner Bros
•Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X.™, Ubisoft
•Unreal Tournament® 3, Epic
•Vin Diesel Wheelman™, Ubisoft
•LEGO® Batman™, Warner Bros
•Defense Grid® Gold, Hidden Path
•Saw, Konami
•Puzzle Chronicles, Konami
•King’s Bounty: Armored Princess, Katauri Interactive
•Ninja Blade, From Software
At the same time, the 3- and 5-day rental system along with ability to buy a full playpass for new or ‘top tier’ games will continue.
Here is a portion of the press release:
OnLive, Inc., the pioneer of on-demand, instant-play video games, today announced details of its new $9.99/month “PlayPack” flat-rate plan, which is immediately available in beta to OnLive Game System owners and available to all OnLive members on January 15, 2011. OnLive will continue to offer its current free trials, 3- and 5-day rentals and Full PlayPass options for a la carte new-release games in addition to the new PlayPack flat-rate plan for access to a growing library of recent, indie and classic games.
“OnLive’s PlayPass and PlayPack plans give players maximum flexibility to try or buy video games,” said Michael Pachter, Managing Director, Equity Research Wedbush Securities. “Top-tier titles are available as individual rentals and purchases, while everything else is available at a flat rate. With these programs, OnLive is effectively offering the equivalent of an iTunes/Netflix combo for gaming.”
OnLive today also began shipping the OnLive Game System, a $99 controller and MicroConsole™ bundle, providing instant access on HDTVs to all OnLive games.
The PlayPack option is available, in beta, starting today for owners of the OnLive Game System free of charge. The PlayPack game library will steadily expand up to and beyond the January 15, 2011 launch date. After this introductory beta period, the PlayPack flat-rate plan will be available as a $9.99/month option for all OnLive members, including those PlayPack beta members who choose to continue with the plan.
OK, I am going to have to just come out and say that nothing in the last month has raised my confidence in OnLive. The MicroConsole seems cool enough, but there are games in the library that still require a keyboard and mouse, making it so that only certain games can be played on the TV.
Also, considering that the library is barely large enough to be called ‘anemic’, the idea of splitting it up into ‘top tier’ and ‘other’ seems laughable. The exact same value questions remain about the normal game purchases, and paying $10 a month for a couple of dozen older games, some of which require a PC to work … just doesn’t sound so inviting.
But maybe I am just cynical … what do you think about OnLive and everything they are rolling out?
