Game Group teams up with cloud gaming firm
By Jon Whiteaker - 09:42AM - Thu 22nd September 2011
High street retailer Game Group has today announced a new partnership with on-demand video game service OnLive, which will see its innovative service offered in the UK for the first time.
OnLive allows its customers to stream the latest high-end video games onto almost any online device, including TVs, PCs, Macs and soon iPad and Android tablets, regardless of its performance capabilities.
This means gamers will be able to play the latest releases instantly via a cloud computing service without the need for a console, any high-end hardware, discs or downloads.
Game will launch the service via its two e-commerce sites, Game.co.uk and Gamestation.co.uk, later this year and following this OnLive’s range of product offering will be rolled out to all of the retailer’s 615 stores across the country.
Group CEO Ian Shepherd said: “We are delighted to be partnering with OnLive. It will bring a totally new cloud based gaming platform to the UK customer.
“Through our websites and the teams in our stores, we will introduce the OnLive service to millions of customers and allow them to use cash and reward card points to buy games on OnLive.
Over the last month Game has also confirmed tie-ups with international technology firms Sony and Microsoft, producers of the Playstation and Xbox consoles respectively, which has now seen in-store download services for both companies rolled out across the entire of the retailer’s UK portfolio of stores.
This latest digital offering from the trader is likely to be extended to its European stores if successful and will be incorporated into its loyalty card schemes for both Game and Gamestation stores.
Steve Perlman, Founder and CEO of OnLive, commented: “OnLive will bring free instant demos to Game.co.uk, and if the player chooses, provide instant purchase and continued play of the videogame on OnLive through Game’s loyalty currency or credit cards.
“After the demo gamers can alternately return to the Game website to purchase the game on another platform, or learn more about it by and chatting with other players in OnLive’s massive spectating Arena.
“The OnLive-Game relationship will bring an unprecedented level of choice, convenience and value for UK gamers, whether through the Internet or in a retail store.”