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OnLive shuts down cloud gaming service this month

OnLive

Game streaming service OnLive, which used actual magic to let you play games online via video stream, will be shut down at the end the month. All of its most lucrative and useful cloud gaming patents have been bought up by Sony.

The service will run until April 30th, after which point OnLive will evaporate into the ether, like digital tears in the internet rain.

“These strategic purchases open up great opportunities for our gamers, and gives Sony a formidable patent portfolio in cloud gaming. It is yet another proof point that demonstrates our commitment to changing the way gamers experience the world of PlayStation,” said Philip Rosenberg, Sony’s US rep.

OnLive was one of the first game streaming services around, launching in 2011 with a desktop application and a set-top box capable of streaming a catalogue of titles to the PC or into the living room. The company was effectively shut down in 2012, but had relaunched with new funding in 2014 with little success.

In 2012 Sony snapped up OnLive competitor Gaikai for $380m in a bid to launch PlayStation Now, its own streaming service on its home console. The move to swipe further streaming patents and assets from OnLive strengthens their positition in this market.

It also kills OnLive.

Thanks, Eurogamer.