Network latency is another kettle of fish and one that every gamer deals with anyway, but you can generally find a server for your favorite game under 100ms away. If I were to play an FPS game through OnLive, my movement commands would take over 300ms to reach one of thier datacentres (from Aus) and that’s jsut a single player game. Introduce a multiplayer element and you take another XXms to get other player update data. Even playing from within the USA it still introduces that other unwanted hop. In order to fix some of these issues OnLive will have to place application servers in all major cities.

Couple that with the fact that now you will have to stream the video of you playing over your already encumbered internet connection (min 1.5mbps according to OnLive) and I can already see some massive hurdles. What about ISP monthly download quotas? They go out the window now you have to stream 720p video to your home in order to play games. That in itself is cost prohibitive to the end user. What of QoS? There is so much random useless traffic clogging up the net these days its hard enough streaming a youtube video sometimes.

What becomes of the LAN parties with your mates? Hard to lug a 60″ flatscreen around the place. But this would be pointless anyway since his internet connection will never be able to stream 6-10 720p signals at once. I can’t see OnLive being useful for anything other than casual games, at your own home, on your own.

Sorry, but OnLive is made of epic fail and will never replace the PC or consoles for gaming.

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