OnLive

About OnLive

OnLive was a cloud virtualization technology provider founded by Steve Perlman, known for creating QuickTime and WebTV. Announced at the 2009 Game Developers Conference, the company launched its flagship cloud gaming service in the United States on June 17, 2010. The service enabled users to stream and play high-end video games on devices with lower hardware specifications, as the game rendering occurred on OnLive's remote servers. This model eliminated the need for physical game installations and allowed for features like game demos, rentals, and spectating other players' gameplay.

The business model was primarily subscription-based, initially charging a monthly fee for access to a library of games, later shifting to a model with no subscription fee but options to rent or purchase games. Revenue was generated through these sales, partnerships with game publishers, and a 'PlayPack' bundle option. OnLive expanded its services to include 'OnLive Desktop,' offering a cloud-based Windows desktop environment to tablet users. The service was accessible via clients on PCs, mobile devices, smart TVs, and a dedicated 'MicroConsole' device.

Despite its forward-thinking technology, OnLive faced significant challenges. The user experience was heavily dependent on internet connection quality, leading to issues with video compression and input lag for some players. The company also encountered financial difficulties, leading to a major restructuring in August 2012. It laid off all employees and sold its assets to an investment firm, Lauder Partners, for $4.8 million, continuing operations as a new entity also named OnLive. Founder Steve Perlman stepped down as CEO following the transition. After the relaunch, the company introduced CloudLift in March 2014, which allowed users to play their Steam-purchased games via OnLive's servers, but this failed to gain significant traction. Ultimately, OnLive could not sustain its operations and announced in April 2015 that it had sold the bulk of its assets, including a significant patent portfolio in cloud gaming, to Sony Computer Entertainment. All OnLive services were officially shut down on April 30, 2015.