This looks interesting. The over-the-internet games provider Gaikai has just landed some investment – some moola – with Intel Capital and Limelight Networks.
The way Gaikai works is to let users play games like World of Warcraft without a download, install and just over the internet. A competitor would be a company like OnLive.
What Gaikai represents is a possible shift towards internet based game distribution. This means gamers wouldn’t need to splash the cash for a gaming PC, a PlayStation 4 or the next Xbox. Instead, they could play a similar range of games online.
In computer terms it’s the thin-client fat-server model for gaming. Gaikai, of course, needs some fat and fast servers in order to live up to their end of the deal. That’s why an investment deal with Intel makes so much sense.
Under this new deal Gaikai will launch in the summer of 2010 and its servers will be packed with Intel’s Six-Core processors and Intel Solid State Drives. Zoom. Fast. What about the network? They’ll be going via key nodes of the Limelight Network.
In effect, it looks like Gaikai’s core suppliers were so impressed with the company that they’ve put money into it. This should really help Gaikai grow and scale.
This isn’t the only big deal Gaikai’s pulled off too. They’ve also signed with EA to get access to games like Mass Effect and The Sims. You know those rumours that Mass Effect 3 might be an online multiplayer – perhaps Gaikai’s involved add weight/fuel to those rumours.
Will the online Gaikai games be as good as the console originals? They’re basis but Gaikai thinks so. David Perry, CEO of Gaikai said;
”Intel’s mind-blowingly fast CPUs have had a profound effect on our business model, allowing us to stream more games simultaneously while offering users a premium experience. Having Intel Capital buy into our vision as much as we buy into their processors makes this a great deal for both companies,”
“Partnering with Limelight to leverage their globally distributed, high-performance platform will help ensure that the fidelity of our cloud-based gaming service is as graphically rich and responsive as a traditional console experience,”
And yes, that David Perry, the game developer.
What do you think? Should Microsoft and PlayStation be threatened by OnLine and Gaikai? Are you tempted to try them out?
