Why spend $99 on OnLive's Microconsole TV adapter when you can buy an inexpensive Blu-ray player with the streaming game service built right in? OnLive teams up with bargain electronics manufacturer VIZIO to bring streaming games to the masses.
Today's televisions and Blu-ray players are shipping with a ton of internet services built into their guts. I recently purchased a VIZIO Blu-ray device for my bedroom solely for the purpose of streaming Netflix to the VIZIO television I've got set up in there. It also came with Pandora Internet Radio, VUDU streaming HD movies, and the ability to connect to Facebook.
If only I had waited a few months, I would have gotten OnLive as well.
The partnership between VIZIO and OnLive will see the streaming game service integrated into both VIA Blu-ray players and the new VIA Plus television sets. Since OnLive streams games from its own servers and doesn't require any special hardware tweaks on the user's end, VIZIO customers will be able to enjoy years of quality gaming content, until their cheap electronics die.
This is a smart move, though it might keep customers from purchasing the OnLive Microconsole television adapter in favor of holding out for a Blu-ray player or new television. That's why there's a 33 percent off sale going on at OnLive's website now through the end of CES. That's $66, or slightly less than a VIZIO Blu-ray player will cost in six months.
OnLive will be showing off VIZIO televisions with built-in OnLive at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this weekend.