PlayCast Aims to Beat OnLive to Cloud-Based Gaming
Will use set-top boxes from BT and Virgin to offer console-quality games.
You know those little bite-size games you can play on your Sky or Virgin Media set top box? Come next year, you might be downloading full-scale games.
PlayCast is a new service that will allow gamers to stream “modern video games” and play them live via on-demand TV providers like BT and Virgin. It’s another attempt to steer computer games to the cloud, negating the need for a home console.
Like many other companies before it, PlayCast Media has claimed that the infrastructure poses no lag issues. Company MD Russel Barash spoke with MCV and described the plans to be like “the pay TV model for games.”
Barash said, “If you’re a movie studio, you have your film play in the cinemas, then three months later it’s out on DVD. Three months later again it’s on Sky Box Office, then on Sky Movies, then two years later it’s out on terrestrial. There are six or seven different windows to monetise your product.
“But if you’re an EA or an Activision, you are restricted by one burst of seven or eight weeks when you release a new game in GAME or HMV before it falls off the cliff. You’ve spent millions of dollars on it, but only one real opportunity to make money back.”
We’re not sure if applying the film industry model to the games industry is a sure fire method for success, but we’re not directors of any businesses so what do we know? The PlayCast plan is to offer big-name games some time after its retail release, then once the system is proven to launch new games ‘day and date’ with retail.
What’s your stance? Write in the comments box below.
PlayCast is a new service that will allow gamers to stream “modern video games” and play them live via on-demand TV providers like BT and Virgin. It’s another attempt to steer computer games to the cloud, negating the need for a home console.
Like many other companies before it, PlayCast Media has claimed that the infrastructure poses no lag issues. Company MD Russel Barash spoke with MCV and described the plans to be like “the pay TV model for games.”
Barash said, “If you’re a movie studio, you have your film play in the cinemas, then three months later it’s out on DVD. Three months later again it’s on Sky Box Office, then on Sky Movies, then two years later it’s out on terrestrial. There are six or seven different windows to monetise your product.
“But if you’re an EA or an Activision, you are restricted by one burst of seven or eight weeks when you release a new game in GAME or HMV before it falls off the cliff. You’ve spent millions of dollars on it, but only one real opportunity to make money back.”
We’re not sure if applying the film industry model to the games industry is a sure fire method for success, but we’re not directors of any businesses so what do we know? The PlayCast plan is to offer big-name games some time after its retail release, then once the system is proven to launch new games ‘day and date’ with retail.
What’s your stance? Write in the comments box below.
Companies:
PlayCast
Comments
ghoti 8 Dec 2009 12:47
1/6
This sounds like a poor way of competing with rental.
deleted 8 Dec 2009 21:29
2/6
@ghoti
Very poor considering Rentals are out same day as game releases.
I dont get it, why would i not buy (example) Dead Space 2 on launch but wait 3-6 months to play it via cloud based, in fact if this tech is so darned good, then surly MS Sony and Ninty will incorp this in their new consoles?
i remain doubtful until someone sees this working outside of controlled enviroments.
Very poor considering Rentals are out same day as game releases.
I dont get it, why would i not buy (example) Dead Space 2 on launch but wait 3-6 months to play it via cloud based, in fact if this tech is so darned good, then surly MS Sony and Ninty will incorp this in their new consoles?
i remain doubtful until someone sees this working outside of controlled enviroments.
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DoctorDee 9 Dec 2009 05:57
3/6
haritori wrote:
I dont get it, why would i not buy (example) Dead Space 2 on launch but wait 3-6 months to play it via cloud based
Presumably because it wil cost less to play it cloud-based than the £40 you would be asked to pay on release.
in fact if this tech is so darned good, then surly MS Sony and Ninty will incorp this in their new consoles?
Maybe they will. But the question then remains, why would anyone buy a Sony, Nintendo or MS console when they already have a Virgin/BT box in their lounge capable of playing the same games?
q 10 Dec 2009 03:17
4/6
The cable TV model is the worst model ever. Think of AT&T trying to make up excuses to go back to pathetic regressive charging models on iPhone and in general. No one wants sponsorship on top of subscription. But the real issue is the end of sponsorships models in general. Its really the end of the advertising-publishing-media. Remeber the media is a middle man that the net can make obsolete as well. This reflects a cultural change where people are getting out of the mood to worship experts or need so-called eye witness experts.
q 10 Dec 2009 03:18
5/6
The cable TV model is the worst model ever. Think of AT&T trying to make up excuses to go back to pathetic regressive charging models on iPhone and in general. No one wants sponsorship on top of subscription. But the real issue is the end of sponsorships models in general. Its really the end of the advertising-publishing-media. Remeber the media is a middle man that the net can make obsolete as well. This reflects a cultural change where people are getting out of the mood to worship experts or need so-called eye witness experts.
quik 10 Dec 2009 03:19
6/6
The cable TV model is the worst model ever. Think of AT&T trying to make up excuses to go back to pathetic regressive charging models on iPhone and in general. No one wants sponsorship on top of subscription. But the real issue is the end of sponsorships models in general. Its really the end of the advertising-publishing-media. Remeber the media is a middle man that the net can make obsolete as well. This reflects a cultural change where people are getting out of the mood to worship experts or need so-called eye witness experts.