The Future of Digital Platforms By Sean B.

Consumers are currently being introduced to a new concept known as "Cloud Gaming", and with OnLive at the current pinnacle of this exciting new mountain of opportunities, it's going to change how we all play games. Every title will be digital, the access service will be free, the controller will be sleek while presenting itself to be familiar, and finally the console itself will be -- almost literally up in the clouds? Really, what's the point of calling it "Cloud Gaming" if it's not literally true in any way? Though the Xbox is no longer shaped like an "X", it's still a box. You "play" on the PlayStation, which also happens to be a "station" for your games, movies and music. By now you probably get the picture, so enough of this nonsensical babbling.

 

With the OnLive "micro console" package for 99 dollars you'll wind up with the following -- OnLive's primary connection unit, controller and miscellaneous cords, including HDMI cables. OnLive works by plugging the small, cookie sized device (pictured above) into your TV or personal computer. Games are then played, saved and received via OnLive servers from the continental United States. Unfortunately users outside of the States may encounter latency issues, resulting in less than desirable (if not unplayable) gaming experiences. The prices are nothing to be too thrilled about either, according to this screenshot from 1up. For example, It'll cost you at least $4.99 to simply rent Arkham Asylum -- a digital version I might add -- with no strings attached for three days. For just $6.99 you can increase that amount of time for two days, or even buy the whole damn game for $39.99, which is no different than brick and mortar retailing. That's right, 40 dollars will allow you to purchase a temporary right for "instantly" playing a digital copy on a console you don't even own. Who cares, for the same price one could either go on a miniature adventure to buy it from a store or wait in anticipation for a new package. I don't know about you, but I personally love waiting for packages, unless they're late or missing (damn FED-UPS). Hell, for $39.99 you could even hug it every night for the rest of your life, but to pay the same price for a digital copy on some potentially volatile server? Most seasoned gamers probably won't see the appeal.



But will the service really be so dreadful? Folks with speedy internet connections located in ideal regions will be able to experience fast, efficient gaming at their fingertips with numerous titles, any time of day for what's supposed to be a relatively efficient renting cost. Fears and concerns of hardware failure and the "Red Ring of Death" will be a thing of the past, so long as you know the OnLive servers will continue to function properly. Many will love obtaining their favorite titles in a seemingly easy to access library, with (hopefully) hundreds of other titles to choose from. We may also see the end of those lengthy download patches and updates game companies have become so fond of. Regardless, we'll still probably run into server shutdown times or maintenance periods. This means even if you didn't wish to game directly online, but instead desired to relax with a solitary single player campaign -- tough shit. The servers need to update for X hours until Y o'clock, meaning every "console" and function goes entirely offline. Perhaps they'll find ways to fragment their maintenance in order to prevent game disruption, but sadly most major updates require precise debugging and complete shutdowns to guarantee proper installation (like weekly maintenance periods seen on MMO's). I don't know about you, but I'd sure as hell be ticked knowing there were set hours where I couldn't even game with myself, let alone vent my rage on an online FPS. Of course this is assuming we're in the year 2555, and true retro gaming is an impossible concept when all other services are down. We're lucky to still have multiple options at this time, but future generations of gamers may not be so blessed if we continue on this path of digital domination.

Really though, how much will we sacrifice until there's nothing left? Classic moments of shopping will be fed to the digital gods, as going to the store for physical media will suddenly seem like a chore to some. I for one prefer fuzzy memories of being able to go on small adventures, seeking out titles that may even be harder to find, as do many other gamers I've spoken to. The convenience will definitely improve with digital services, especially since we'd bypass such problems as Microsoft's infamous RRoD, but at what cost? OnLive is a great opportunity for those looking to test, play and rent games with convenience, but for those of us who prefer to own and hold what we legitimately purchase -- these are some rather dark and murky waters we're diving into. A wise (and absolutely correct) man once said, "you get what you pay for", so buyer beware. Just because the price looks good on paper doesn't always mean you're getting the better bargain at the end of the day.