With the recent announcement of OnLive, an upcoming revolution cloud gaming, at GDC last week, a can of worms was opened up. The gaming world was filled with a mix of awe, doubt, and even anger at the fact that OnLive could indeed lead to the end of console gaming, as the service claims to allow gamers to play brand new, top-of-the-line PC games with virtually no hiccups. This seems like a very lofty and unreasonable claim, but Dave Perry, former creative director at Acclaim and Shiny boss, is adamant in making the idea a reality.
However, OnLive not the only one aspiring to change the way we game. Perry revealed only one day after OnLive's unveiling that he too was working on a similar service. Lovingly referred to as Gaikai, the service is said to require only an internet connection. This is already strides ahead of OnLive, Perry believes, as the competing service requires a peripheral or software download. Gaikai is Perry's vision, was brought about by his lifelong dream of "playing games [he] can't afford." He believes the internet isn't quick enough to deliver some seamless instant-gaming experiences, but with the right servers and dedication it could very easily be achieved.
And, like many gamers, Perry doesn't exactly enjoy spending hundreds of dollars on gaming consoles. The discovery of instant streaming via Netflix seems to have been a precursor to his revolutionary idea, as he explained to GameIndustry.biz recently:
"To just click and get your content, that's the future, there it is on your screen. Can you imagine that with games? You're reading the review, and you read that the next Crysis game is phenomenal, and click - there it is. Now I'm playing it. Once you do that once or twice you will never ever want to go back."
His vision of the future comes without peripherals, cords, or inconvenience, and who knows? His way could be the best way. You can find additional details regarding OnLive's first viable competitor by checking out the official Gaikai website for yourselves right HERE!