Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/28/gaikai_cloud_gaming_service_open_beta/
Cloud gaming storms into the UK
Try EA games in your browser for free
Posted in Games, 28th February 2011 15:51 GMT
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Cloud-based gaming is again in the limelight today with the announcement that game service Gaikai has gone live in the UK for all to trial.
Gaikai - which today came out of its closed beta stage - allows users to demo games in their browser without the need for a download.
Just like cloud-based gaming platform OnLive, this type of service requires a speedy internet connection. However, Gaikai [1] pushes the content directly to a browser using Flash and Java so games such as Mass Effect 2, Dead Space 2 and The Sims 3 can be played through websites rather than a proprietary application.
Mass Effect 2 running through Facebook, who would have thought?
This also paves the way for demos being implemented at the end of a games review, directly in the browser for all to try. And try-outs are the key focus: Gaikai stresses it's a platform for demos rather than full-on gaming. It A portal to see if a title is worth going out to buy for your console or PC first, without the need for downloading any content.
Company co-founder David Perry spilled the beans in his blog and says Gaikai has been working closely with EA [2] to bring the most popular games to market because "when you're burning incredibly powerful/expensive servers it doesn't make financial sense to be streaming a very niche game".
We'll have more on cloud-gaming soon. In the meantime, give Gaikai a whirl and let us know what you think. ®