*Originally published on 4/28/09
I discovered a while back about an upcoming game system called OnLive. Through it, you would be able to stream and play video games without having to buy discs. It's not a bad idea, however I disagree with the idea that it's going to blow consoles out of the water.
Most of my arguments are the same ones that I used in my article talking about movies going completely digital. Still, I'm getting kind of sick about hearing how the only way anything is going to continue is if it gets distributed digitally. Comics, music, books, movies, and now video games? I'm not against it as it does have its pros, but whatever happened to the pride that comes with building a collection of whatever media you enjoy and holding it in your hand or showcasing it on a shelf?
I've still got a bunch of books to bring over to my apartment from MD. I considered the idea of just getting a Kindle and digitizing my library. After all, I don't really have room for all my books and DVD cases in the apartment. I decided against it though. I already had the books and having the hard copy is rather convenient. The fact that a Kindle is out of my price range may or may not be(read: is) a factor as well.
On its own, the OnLive does seem like a convenient and rather neat system. I just don't buy this idea that you're going to single-handedly destroy the Xbox, Playstation, and Wii. All of them are great consoles that are going to be hard to top as far as game experience goes. Not only that, but all three consoles offer games available for download. Admittedly, they are the classic games while you have to buy newer ones like Left 4 Dead or Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.
Still, even if OnLive does take off, there's nothing to stop the big three from doing the same thing. They're limited by hard drive space, but they could come up with add ons that would make it a moot issue.
Will OnLive be a major competitor? Maybe. Being able to play any game regardless of who made it is a pretty cool idea. Most of the major games are released across all three consoles, but once in a while, a game will come out that is only available for one. With this, the issue is moot and you'll be able to play any game. It would also be good for people who are new to gaming, but don't have the space to house another collection.
At this point, it just boils down to a wait and see approach. We won't really be able to go in depth and comment on whether or not this will provide the revolution it promises until it is actually released and consumers will be able to see first hand if it is worth ditching those systems we own and cherish. If it does live up, I have to admit I'll be rather disappointed. We own all three of the current consoles and they look pretty cool standing up next to each other. We've also got a Genesis sitting on the floor and an NES sitting right below the TV. True, OnLive will clear up space and remove some clutter, but the overall look will disappear.
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