TIGA,
the trade association representing the UK games industry, says cloud gaming has
a strong future despite discouraging figures surrounding OnLive's reported
problems.
According
to a report in trade magazine MCV, OnLive had 1,600 users even though it ran
8,000 servers offering up a subscription-based cloud gaming service. The low
numbers and financial problems is understood to have pushed OnLive close to
bankruptcy but the sale of its assets to a new company has seen it survive.
However,
TIGA does not believe that the problems point to a failure of the technology.
TIGA argues that the sale of Gaikai to Sony shows that cloud gaming is still
very much part of the future of gaming and that developers can look to it with
optimism as a potential revenue stream.
Jason
Kingsley OBE, TIGA Chairman and CEO and Creative Director at Rebellion, said:
“There is no doubt that cloud gaming is
innovative and exciting, with the potential to open up gaming to more players
by streaming games direct to televisions, set-top boxes and consoles.
“It will almost certainly play a key role in
the future of gaming. Such infrastructures are undoubtedly expensive to set up
and users still have to be convinced but this is likely
to come, especially in the light of Sony's purchase of Gaikai.
“TIGA welcomes any platform which helps
developers to deliver their games to players and we believe cloud gaming has a
strong future ahead of it.”
NOTES
FOR EDITORS
About
TIGA
TIGA is the trade
association representing the UK’s games industry. The majority of our members
are either independent games developers or in-house publisher owned developers.
We also have games publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and
universities amongst our membership. TIGA won 10 business awards and was
nominated a finalist for 9 other awards during 2010 and 2011. In 2010
TIGA won two business awards including ‘Trade Association of the Year’ from the
Trade Association Forum. In 2011, TIGA won eight business awards including ‘Trade Association of
the Year’ from the Trade Association Forum, ‘Outstanding Organisation’ from the
Chartered Management Institute and two Global Business Excellence Awards,
including ‘Outstanding Marketing Campaign’. Richard Wilson won the
‘Leadership Award’ from the Trade Association Forum and the ‘Outstanding
Leader’ award from the Chartered Management Institute.
TIGA is an Investors in People organisation.
TIGA's vision is to make
the UK the best place in the world to do games business. We focus on
three sets of activities: political representation, generating media coverage
and developing services that enhance the competitiveness of our members.
This means that TIGA members are effectively represented in the corridors of
power, their voice is heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a
material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and
improved commercial opportunities.
For further information, please contact Dr
Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on: 07875 939 643, or email richard.wilson@tiga.org.