The end of the games console?

[The News Bot]

Maggie Shiels looks at OnLive, a new on-demand video game service that aims to turn the industry on its head.
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[jon12355]

Cool idea but I think alot of people will need to improve their internet connection speed.

[Baldybouncer]

not everyone in the uk is playing 'online'

In my job I visit alot of homes that dont have broadband let alone a games console connected to it...

Look at all the stand alone wiis that have been sold and sit in teenagers bedrooms...

Nice idea but its doomed to fail I feel - too much too soon...

This will probably be ready (network wise) in about 10 years in the UK - most people struggle to get 1.5mb speeds so the games will look like PS2 at that speed if your lucky....

[David Mackenzie]

I like physical media, I (sometimes) like trading games with friends, and I like being able to pop a disc in and play. So, I'm not sure what the push towards networked delivery is actually supposed to be about.

[mattx-2009]

i agree not enough people have embrased the tech now so its not going to get far without the ability to "fly solo"

[MrCynical]

The BBC's technology coverage is so woefully inept that I only ever watch Click (and read these sorts of articles) if I need a laugh. That might sound like geek elitism, but to be honest most mainstream media organisations (particularly the Guardian) do make a reasonable job of tech coverage. The BBC on the other hand... in the famous words of Basil Fawlty you "might as well ask the cat". In fact I reckon a cat's entrails would give technology predictions about as accurate as the BBC's.

To get graphics equivalent in resolution to current-gen consoles requires a connection of about 5Mbps even according to the BBC's (generally overoptimistic) article. My connection just about manages that on a good day, but then it's shared between my family. Added to that the fact that there is a requirement for consistently low latency (and more or less zero packet loss - something which BT seem incapable of providing) and this will never work until Gordon Brown bites the bullet and spends taxpayers' money on a proper fibre broadband network rather than bank bonuses :P

[Miyazaki]

A great idea but probably 15 years too soon.

Vapourware at best.