The Wii U promises to bring a new dimension to gameplay, with the wireless controller effectively working as a tablet you can stream games to with the TV switched off. But hang on, that sounds a little like OnLive to us, the online games service that lets you play the latest games regardless of the power of your device. Rather than Microsoft or Sony, BT (who has a 2.6% stake in OnLive) is who Nintendo should be worried about.
But does Nintendo have a strong enough fanbase to see off OnLive? Will people really buy a whole new console when they can play using the gear they already have, plus a subscription? Read on for some expert predictions.
The reason OnLive presents such a challenge to the Wii U is that it allows you effectively to get the same experience but with your existing kit. Because OnLive’s remote server farms do most of the graphics work, you can play the latest blockbusters on your tablet or even netbook. All you need is a decent internet connection. And with BT tying it into its broadband packages, it looks set to reach a far larger audience than it otherwise would have when it launches here in the Autumn.
So with a greater range of games available, not just the traditional Nintendo titles, does OnLive pose a real threat to the Wii U’s success? “OnLive is a very impressive piece of technology that in my opinion has been hugely overlooked by the gaming press,” says Andy Robinson, deputy editor at CVG.
But he thinks it’ll follow in the Wii U’s footsteps, rather than act as a real challenge to Nintendo. “With assistance from game developers OnLive’s streaming service can indeed be used in a similar way to the Wii U tech, with an iPad used as a second screen and touch controller for a HD television video game. However I’d expect this ‘Wii U’ style of OnLive gaming to become more popular based on Nintendo’s potential success – and not to challenge it.”
Others think that OnLive’s relatively unknown status, as compared to Nintendo, will count against it, and it has a pretty steep hill to climb to compete with such a giant of gaming. “OnLive is very low-profile in the mass market compared to Nintendo,” says Jane Douglas, section editor at GameSpot. “Many ‘casual’ gamers who own Wiis and DSs will be thoroughly familiar with Nintendo but never have heard of OnLive. OnLive would have to work pretty hard to make those consumers take notice, if it does go after potential Wii U buyers.”
The concept of playing proper PC games on a netbook without a CD drive may be too much for some casual gamers to get their heads around, but with BT behind it maybe OnLive could pose if not a serious threat, maybe an alternative to the Wii U’s tablet-style gameplay.
A final note on price: while if you’ve already got a tablet or netbook, OnLive sounds like a steal, if you have to buy an iPad 2 to play it’s not such a bargain. “The cost of an iPad – if you don’t already have one – will likely be significantly more than the launch price of a WiiU console,” says Robinson. But then you could argue that’s just another reason to buy that iPad 2 that’s been on your wish list for some time now…
We contacted OnLive for comment but didn’t hear back in time for publication.
