The Newest Streaming Video Games Option: Gaikai

The ever changing world of gaming is tough to keep up with.  That's why you have me and Guy to keep you updated on the stuff that matters the most to you.  And by that I mean the stuff that we think will matter the most to you.  This week we bring you news of a video game streaming service that will allow you to play virtually any game from your computer: Gaikai.

Yasar:  Gaikai is a service that offers you the option of playing your favorite video games (from PC favorites to console greats) from your PC browser.  It will not require you to download any more software than what you likely already have (Java or Flash), and will not require you to download any files for the game you want to play.  It's all streamed directly to your browser from the internets.

The way that Gaikai works is actually pretty interesting.  They run the games you want on their severs, and stream the audio and video to your screen using one of the plug-ins mentioned above.  For the control input, they take whatever you input into your computer and interpret that the way it would interpret a controller in your hand on their server.  Think of this as playing a video game where the TV and the console are on the other side of the world.  Bet you never thought that'd be possible, Guy.

Guy: It is pretty incredible and I have to say I'm very excited. The cool thing is it isn't just that the service is designed to work on desktops and laptops--netbooks and mobile devices will also presumably be able to run the service. They are also quick to point out that this is not a "video-on-demand" service. They have bigger plans than that. The goal is to set up demos on retailer sites, have the user try the games out and then buy right from that very same site--as Yasar said, sans downloads. They will rely on fifteen servers to start, with more planned to further bolster the network in the future. They have the support of Intel, to name just one backer, and have already lined up EA and their big gun gaming series. For now, the Gaikai service will be like a free extended demo, with publishers bearing the costs to get their games out there to the masses. Players will pay for minutes if and when they convert from just checking the game out to a full-fledged buyer.

The Gaikai streaming service is still in it's beta phase so it remains to be seen exactly how far this service will extend.  At GDC (Game Developers Conference) in San Francisco this year they demoed Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, World of Warcraft, EVE Online, Spore, and Mario Kart 64.  The service is expected to launch some time this year. We've both signed up to be beta testers and we'll follow up with you guys with some hands-on impressions if we get accepted.

That's it for this week.  For more video game tweets and updates on the latest industry news, follow us on Twitter @YasarSavings and @SavingsGCapes.